- Liverpool handed injury boost ahead of Chelsea clash
- Alisson and Mohamed Salah close to returning
- Isak and Mamardashvili trained this week
Liverpool have been handed a double injury boost ahead of the Premier League clash against Chelsea at Anfield this weekend.
Arne Slot’s side can all but seal their place in the UEFA Champions League next season with a win over the Blues on Saturday. They need four points from their remaining three matches, or for AFC Bournemouth to lose in one of their matches.
The Reds take on the FIFA Club World Cup winners are their worst, as they travel to Anfield after suffering their sixth successive Premier League loss. They are under interim manager Calum McFarlane, after Liam Rosenior was sacked by the club last month.
Liverpool handed timely injury boost ahead of Chelsea visit
Slot spoke to the media on Friday, revealing that Alexander Isak and Giorgio Mamardashvili were back in training this week. He spoke about the striker first, confirming that the Premier League record signing trained yesterday for the first time, but his availability for the Chelsea match is still in the balance.
“Alex trained with us again yesterday for the first time. All good. He did parts of it, hopefully he can do parts or everything today and we see how much we are going to use him.”
Alisson and Mohamed Salah are close to making their returns, but Mamardashvili is back after going off injured in the Merseyside derby win last month. The goalkeeper has been out of the recent matches, but is in line to start in goal at Anfield on Saturday.
“Alisson not yet, Giorgi today for first time. Mo is very very close like Ali.”
Ibrahima Konate was not in training earlier this week, but Slot has confirmed that he is back. The Frenchman was given a day off for personal reasons, and not due to any injury worries.
Florian Wirtz was also unwell this week, but the German is back in training and ready to face Chelsea this weekend. Slot said in his presser:
“Ibou had a personal reason for not training on Wednesday but was yesterday and today and Florian was a bit unwell but trained yesterday as well.”
Meanwhile, Conor Bradley has also started his rehab, but is still ruled out of the season. He picked up a knee injury in the Arsenal draw earlier this season, and the manager:
“In the rehab, it’s always important if some steps go well. It’s really difficult in the stage he’s in now to predict when he will be back. He’s still inside and working really hard, but he is quite far away from going outside, which makes it quite complicated to tell.”
Liverpool lost 2-1 to Chelsea earlier this season at Stamford Bridge and will be out for revenge.
Chelsea without several players for Liverpool clash
Chelsea are set to be without three senior players for their Liverpool trip this weekend. Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho have knocks and are yet to recover, while Robert Sanchez has a head injury and is ruled out.
The Blues are also without Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens, as both wingers are dealing with hamstring injuries. Jesse Derry, who made his first start earlier this week, is also out following a head injury in the Nottingham Forest loss.
Reece James was an unused substitute earlier this week, but the Chelsea captain is back in full training. Levi Colwill played his first minutes of the season against Nottingham Forest, and the defender is also available for the Liverpool trip.
