Here are your Liverpool evening headlines for Friday, February 17.
Jurgen Klopp rules out four Liverpool players for Newcastle
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Virgil van Dijk is fit to start again for Liverpool but Calvin Ramsay will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.
The Dutchman hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury in last month’s loss away at Brentford. But he returned to the matchday squad for Monday’s Merseyside derby victory over Everton, and was an unused substitute as the Reds ran out 2-0 winners.
With Liverpool travelling to fourth-placed Newcastle United on Saturday before hosting Real Madrid in the Champions League round-of-16 next week, Klopp has confirmed the centre-back is fit to make a playing return against the Magpies.
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“I think so, yeah,” the German said when asked if the defender was fit to start. “Yesterday he looked absolutely ready. I think today he will look the same and we will make a decision.”
While Van Dijk was unused against Everton, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino both made their own returns off the bench against the Blues. Ahead of Newcastle, Klopp revealed Liverpool will continue to manage the pair carefully after lengthy lay-offs, before confirming four players have been ruled out of Saturday’s game.
“Bobby, in the end it was eight weeks (out) as well so that's long time,” he told reporters. “Diogo was longer out. So we have to look how we can use them.
“It was important they get time but you could see they need time. It was clear but we knew that would happen. That’s why we tried to get them on as early as possible and allowed them some minutes.
“It’s completely different, whatever you do on the training pitch, these first 10-15 minutes in an intense game feel like torture. You have to go through this but it wasn’t too long so they could train properly the next day. It’s obviously very helpful for this week. One session today and we will see how we line up.
“Same squad possible as Monday night. has happened, nobody has come back since then. Ibou not yet, Luis not yet. But that’s it pretty much. Nothing new happened on the injury side. Thiago, not available. Calvin had surgery, not available. But that’s it.”
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Jurgen Klopp explains Fabio Carvalho Liverpool absence
Jurgen Klopp has explained the absence of Fabio Carvalho from the Liverpool squad - but is adamant the youngster has done "nothing wrong" as he goes through a necessary difficult period in his fledgling career.
With Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino back available from injury, Carvalho was among a number of senior players absent from the bench for the 2-0 home derby triumph against Everton on Monday.
The 20-year-old is likely to again miss out when Liverpool travel to Newcastle United on Saturday evening, despite having scored a dramatic injury-time winner in the Anfield meeting between the teams back in August.
Carvalho has featured for only three minutes in the Premier League since the defeat at Nottingham Forest in October and has started only eight times since his summer move from Fulham.
And while accepting the youngster will be unhappy at his lack of action, Klopp is convinced the attacking midfielder remains on the right track.
"Fabio is a very young player and a big talent," said the Reds boss. "He has played well for us in a couple of games. Now the situation is we have to make a squad and he couldn't make the last one. That's how it is.
"He hasn't played too often because from my point of view we needed different skills when we started or when we changed during the games. That's pretty much all.
"He did nothing wrong. He has improved a lot and developed a lot. He is a good kid and is in the middle of the group and the team and that's all fine."
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