Liverpool v Sheffield United: Team news

MatchLiverpool v Sheffield United: Team news

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Liverpool can welcome Curtis Jones and Andy Robertson back into the squad for the Premier League clash with Sheffield United.

Jürgen Klopp has confirmed the pair are on course to be available for Thursday’s Anfield fixture after recovering from injury.

Jones has not featured for the Reds since the win at Brentford in February due to a high ankle sprain, while Robertson missed Sunday’s victory over Brighton & Hove Albion because of an issue suffered on international duty with Scotland.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Klopp said: “Curtis is in training, full training, and is in contention. That doesn’t mean he can play 90 minutes, [but] he can play a few minutes.”

And asked whether Robertson is able to return against the Blades, Klopp added: “Yeah, and very important, by the way.”

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Wataru Endo, however, must be assessed ahead of the 7.30pm BST kick-off due to a knock sustained last weekend. “We have to see for tomorrow what we can do with him,” explained the manager.

Liverpool continue to be without a number of players, though Klopp revealed Trent Alexander-Arnold, Stefan Bajcetic, Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota could all resume parts of team training from next week.

“The other boys [are] doing well,” said the boss. “Diogo and Trent are together in a group, which helps both, but [it] looks like from next week on they will be hopefully in parts of team training, and then we will see the rest.

“Ali is with the goalkeeper coaches, so I just see them through the fence, but that looks good as well. I think in his mind as well, next week parts of team training.

“[Bajcetic] trains now fully with the U21s this week. That means we will take him in training next week with us and then we will see. Another one coming and that’s super-important.”

Joel Matip is now running as his rehabilitation from the ACL injury he suffered in December progresses, but Klopp does not expect the centre-back to play again this season.

Thiago Alcantara and Ben Doak are the other Reds currently sidelined.

Sheffield United are currently contending with a significant injury list that includes George Baldock, Max Lowe, Chris Basham, Rhys Norrington-Davies, John Egan, Tom Davies and former Reds striker Rhian Brewster.

Cameron Archer is also a doubt, while Daniel Jebbison has been sidelined due to illness.

Blades boss Chris Wilder does, though, expect to have Oliver Arblaster and Vinicius Souza available at Anfield after they were taken off late on last weekend.

“We’ve got to be the best that we are,” said Wilder during his pre-match press conference.

“We’ve got to be resolute and we’ve got to defend well. We’ve got to have good distances between back to front. We have to be aggressive and competitive. We can’t just give them the ball back straight away, because if we do then they can punish any team.

“We have got to be brave in and out of possession, we’ve got to have a structure to stop them or give them problems.

“We understand we’re going to have to have a big night, a huge night for us to get a big result. We need a big performance from everybody.”

Last match

Liverpool 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (March 31): Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez, Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister, Salah, Diaz, Nunez.

Sheffield United 3-3 Fulham (March 30): Grbic, Holgate, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Bogle, Souza, Arblaster, Hamer, Osborn, McBurnie, Brereton Diaz.

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