Liverpool players are continuing their training programme as they look to build up their fitness ahead of the season’s resumption.
The Reds are currently in Dubai for a training camp as they get ready to return to Premier League action later this month. Liverpool take on Aston Villa on Boxing Day, after facing Manchester City in the Carabao Cup a few days earlier on December 22.
Jurgen Klopp was dealt a blow earlier this week when it was confirmed that Luis Diaz needed to have surgery after suffering a setback on his recovery from injury. The Colombia international has been sidelined with a knee injury since the start of October, and now faces the prospect of a couple more months out of action.
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Liverpool are now preparing for their next friendly which sees them take on AC Milan on Friday. Here, we take a look at some of the things we spotted from the latest training session in Dubai.
FSG chief spotted
A lot seems to be going on off the pitch at Liverpool at the moment, whether it’s transfers or the potential sale after the statement from Fenway Sports Group last month. And in Dubai, Billy Hogan could be seen chatting to Klopp.
Hogan holds the title of the club’s chief executive, but has taken on more responsibility after Mike Gordon “stepped back” from the day-to-day running of the club last month.
It, of course, will not be known what Klopp and Hogan would have been discussing. But given the responsibilities that Hogan now holds at the club, the pair are likely to be in conversation a lot over the coming weeks and months.
Missing player
With Diaz now back on Merseyside and recovering from his surgery, Klopp will hope that no more of his players suffer any setbacks with their fitness. Naby Keita is building up his fitness and was pictured taking part in the latest session.
But one player who wasn’t there on Wednesday was Curtis Jones. He has still not been pictured taking part in any training session since the squad touched down in Dubai, and he was not involved in the defeat to Lyon on Sunday.
The club are yet to say the reason for Jones’ absence, so it will be a case of waiting until Friday when Liverpool face Milan to get a clearer picture of the situation.
New 'role' for Klopp
Klopp’s job will primarily be to coach and manage the players, of course. But it appears that the Liverpool boss took on a new role in Dubai on Wednesday.
This time, though, Klopp can be seen using the camera used by the club’s photographer, John Powell. It was John’s birthday, and a separate video on the club’s Twitter account showed the squad and Klopp wishing him a happy birthday.
Return of the captain
Most of Liverpool’s World Cup contingent are still either involved in the competition or enjoying a brief break before returning back to action. Darwin Nunez is back, but the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho and Alisson Becker are still having some time off, while Ibrahima Konate is still with the France squad.
But one player who is still on break is Jordan Henderson, after England’s exit on Saturday night. Despite this, the Liverpool skipper visited his team-mates in Dubai and can be seen enjoying a friendly chat with Klopp.
Henderson was not involved in the session with the rest of the squad, but he is due to return to training at some point next week.
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