Liverpool were back in training on Tuesday as they went through their final preparations ahead of travelling to Glasgow for their midweek Champions League trip to Rangers.
Having lost their last outing 3-2 away at Arsenal, the Reds will be desperate to return to winning ways north of the border, knowing victory would also see them move a giant step closer to knockout stage qualification as we head into the second half of the group stages.
Jurgen Klopp has dealt numerous injury blows ahead of the trip to Scotland, however, after losing Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold to injury in the loss at Arsenal, with Joel Matip later joining Liverpool’s list of walking wounded. But he was at least also handed an injury boost in the Reds’ latest training session.
With open training taking place at the AXA Training Centre, here’s what we spotted as Klopp’s men were put through their paces…
Ox is back! Kind of…
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back in training! The England international hasn’t featured for Liverpool yet this season after injuring his hamstring against Crystal Palace in pre-season, but he made a timely return for the Reds in Tuesday’s session.
Granted, after so long on the sidelines, that doesn’t mean the midfielder will be fit for selection just yet. Besides, even if he was, he was left out of the Champions League squad for the group-stages so won’t be eligible to face Rangers anyway.
The 29-year-old hasn’t actually played for Liverpool since their March FA Cup victory over Nottingham Forest and looks set to leave on a Bosman transfer at the end of his contract next summer. But with Arthur Melo and Diaz out until 2023, his return to training is most-welcome ahead of the intensest run of fixtures before the World Cup break.
Robbo returns but where’s Ramsay?
Having taken part in training on Monday, Andy Robertson was again involved in Tuesday’s session and looks set to return for the trip to his homeland. Whether the Scotland captain is actually fit to start against Rangers however, having not played since the September loss in Napoli, only time will tell.
Given Alexander-Arnold and Matip’s lay-offs, his return is most welcome at least, ensuring that Klopp will at least have 50% of his first-choice back-four available to him over the next fortnight as he continues to try and solve the Reds’ ongoing defensive woes.
But while Robertson could feature in Scotland, compatriot Calvin Ramsay looks set to miss out. Still yet to make his Liverpool debut after an injury was spotted in his medical, he was on the bench against Rangers last week but was absent from the matchday squad to Arsenal. Not involved in training on Tuesday, his absence set tongues wagging regarding the possibility of suffering a new setback.
Thiago’s new look
Thiago Alcantara unveiled a new look in training. With a skinhead on show after shaving his head, perhaps the Spaniard hopes such an act will help Liverpool shed their recent woes on the pitch?
Either way, it was a bold call from the midfielder. After all, a mid-afternoon training session on Merseyside in October is one thing, running out for an Autumn night game in Scotland is a rather chillier affair.
Football friends
With captain Jordan Henderson leading Liverpool out for training, there were plenty of friendships on show in the Reds camp as they paired up for a range of passing activities.
Kostas Tsimikas continues to fill his role as Mohamed Salah’s Anfield bestie following Dejan Lovren’s 2020 departure as the pair took turns juggling the ball before passing it to each other. Meanwhile, Brazilians Roberto Firmino and Fabinho and former Fulham youngsters Fabio Carvalho and Harvey Elliott remained thick as thieves.
Elsewhere, with Matip injured, Virgil van Dijk teamed up with Joe Gomez, though injuries elsewhere perhaps suggest we won’t see them reunited at centre-back just yet with the England international instead needed at right-back by all accounts.
And finally, while Darwin Nunez might not yet understand English, he at least has Thiago by his side! Their blossoming friendship continued as they paired up, with the Spaniard taking the Uruguayan under his wing as he aids him with the language barrier and continues to help him settle in.
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