Joel Matip came off after 69 minutes against Arsenal on 9 October with a calf injury. In the 3-1 loss against Lyon, he played his first match since that day. The central defender played the first half against the French, leaving the field with a 1-1 draw.
– It’s very important for us to come back. So far he has been able to do almost everything in training. There was one session in which we were advised to relieve him, but it did not come from him himself. It was the medical staff who thought so, and we listened to them. Aside from this session, he was involved in everything, Jurgen Klopp told the press after losing to the French team.
He looked good the half he was on the field. We were allowed to use it for 45 minutes, which we did. it was good.
Keita played his first match since the Community Shield in July
The person who went so far as not to play a game is Naby Keita. He played the last half hour against Lyon, his first minutes in the game after sustaining a serious hamstring injury in training on 21 August. And Keita was no less than what he scored in the penalty shootout, which Liverpool lost 5-3, after Calvin Ramsey’s penalty kick was saved by the goalkeeper.
– This was Nabi’s first 30 minutes in a while. It is a great help for us. He plays in an important position, and an important player. For him, too, it was agreed that we would use it for half an hour.
– Against AC Milan next Friday, it is likely that these two players can play for much longer, Klopp hopes.
Strange start to the Dubai Super Cup
The match against Milan will be Liverpool’s second, and therefore last, in the Dubai Super Cup. Down 3-1, and down 5-3 in the penalty shootout, Liverpool had an odd start to the tournament.
Arsenal leads the championship after four points from one match. Lyon finished now, finishing with four points from two games. It is also the most Liverpool can get if they beat AC Milan in the match and penalty shootout.
Liverpool’s only chance of winning the championship now is for Milan to beat Arsenal in both the match and penalty shootout on Tuesday, and for Liverpool then to beat Milan in both the match and penalty shootout on Friday. Then all teams will finish with four points, and goal difference will be decisive. However, Arsenal have a very good starting point after beating Lyon 3-0 in their first match.
Soon you will be serious again
However, Jurgen Klopp is more interested in what happens when the seriousness starts again, with a League Cup match against Manchester City two days before Christmas Eve.
– We should take advantage of the time now. We have to train with the right intensity. It was the intensity that made me feel good about the first half. I saw what happened as a step in the right direction, as the Liverpool coach explained.
– I haven’t always seen him this summer, one in the game tonight I saw a lot I wanted to see. That’s why I’m positive. But of course we will face difficult teams. We start against Manchester City, then we meet Aston Villa with a new manager. You will be full of energy. We know that. We also want to be the toughest team to face, and it’s up to us to be that.
Then it is good that the conditions are favorable for the Liverpool team in Dubai.
– The facilities are very good. It’s a great training ground. The hotel is on top and the weather is on top. Everything is fine except for the result of the day, and parts of the performance. We enjoy life here. We’ll be here for a few more days, and play one more game. All is well.
Nunez joins training camp
Klopp confirmed that Darwin Nunez will join the team tomorrow.
– Darwin Nunez will arrive tomorrow. Others were given a week off after the restroom, so they could get the World Cup off their heads and bodies. We will play again already on December 22nd against Manchester City in the League Cup. It doesn’t get tougher than that.
– The restroom was fine for me, because I had three weeks off, and now we’re training again. But it is difficult for the players. The World Cup final is on December 18th, and we have a cup match on December 22nd. The matches will then be held on December 26, December 30, January 2 and January 7. So the matches are approaching hail. that’s the problem. For me there is no problem. It wasn’t. But Klopp concluded that this was an issue for the players.
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