Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson has suffered a knee injury which is set to keep the Scotland captain out for “at least” the next three weeks.
Speaking ahead of the midweek Champions League fixture against Ajax, the Reds’ boss acknowledged that Liverpool had to significantly improve on their recent form, particularly last week’s thrashing by Napoli.
However, that will be made somewhat more difficult by the ongoing number of injuries in the squad, with Robertson now added to that list after Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara returned in Naples.
“He’s [Robertson] out for at least until after the international break,” Klopp told reporters.
“Curtis [Jones] is not available, Fabio Carvalho trained yesterday normally and will be available.”
That absence means Robertson will miss not only the Ajax game but also the Premier League games against Chelsea and, potentially, Brighton after the two-week international break.
During that time Scotland will place Ukraine twice and Republic of Ireland in their Nations League group, with Robertson unlikely to now be in the squad.
Kostas Tsimikas will feature instead of Robertson for Liverpool, while Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney is able to switch from the centre to the left for the national team.
Meanwhile, Klopp provided clarification on Naby Keita, who is another injury absentee - but was named by Guinea in their squad list for next week. Klopp, however, does not envisage the No8 travelling and revealed both he and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be missing until next month.
“No, I don’t expect him [Keita] to go on international duty,” he said.
“The expected return date was somewhere in October, that’s why we had to make the decision. With Ox it’s the same. That’s why the two boys are not in the Champions League squad, because after the expected return date, which can always differ a little bit, bit earlier, stuff like this, [it takes time to recover fully].
“We had to make the decision now, last week, that’s why we made the decision.”
Ibrahima Konate, Jordan Henderson, Calvin Ramsay and Caoimhin Kelleher are also all still out injured for Liverpool.
