Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Joel Matip will be out for around three weeks with an adductor injury.
The Cameroonian missed Liverpool’s drab 0-0 draw away to Newcastle United on Wednesday night, as more points were dropped in the Premier League title race.
Matip’s absence meant that Nathaniel Phillips had to partner Fabinho, with the youngster looking out of his depth at times.
The 29-year-old was injured in last weekend’s draw at home to West Brom, and speaking after the Newcastle game, Klopp provided an update on his fitness:
The normal stuff with these kind of injuries, [he will be out for] around about three weeks.
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By Matip’s standards, three weeks actually doesn’t feel like a long time, but it still means Fabinho is going to be Liverpool’s only fit, established centre-back heading into the New Year.
It surely highlights the need for the Reds to bring in a new defender in the January transfer window, or risk dropping more points.
The likes of Phillips and Rhys Williams can do a job now and again, but relying on them between now and the end of the season is a huge risk, and could be fatal in Liverpool’s quest to win both the Premier League and Champions League.
