Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Harvey Elliott will be in the Liverpool squad to face Cardiff City on Sunday, but the game could come too soon for Thiago Alcantara following a fresh bout of illness.
Elliott returned to team training last month having been sidelined since September with a dislocated ankle, with the Reds boss admitting he had been tempted to include him against Arsenal and Shrewsbury Town after the teenager wowed coaches when making his comeback.
Instead holding the playmaker back, the former Fulham man instead made an uncompetitive return in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Wrexham during the international break as he scored one goal and claimed an assist.
And Elliott is now set to make his competitive return against Cardiff in the FA Cup fourth round.
“Really we have to thank Andreas Schlumberger for that (Elliott’s speedy return),” Klopp told reporters. “He is head of rehab here and he was very patient but Harvey was the perfect client if you want.
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“He did pretty much everything we told him without one question why. He’s in a good place. He’s in full team training now but we have to see.
“We have to see what is right for him. Is it right to start? Is it right to come on? He will be in the squad definitely for the Cardiff game and from there we go.
“Most of the things look completely natural. Absolutely really quick after a long, long period without proper team training. When you saw him the first time we thought immediately, “Maybe we take him with us!” But it obviously makes no sense.
“So he has to take it step by step to get back to his best but he is close. Very close.”
While Elliott looks set to be involved against Cardiff, Liverpool might again be without the services of Thiago Alcantara.
The Spaniard contracted Covid-19 back in December, before picking up an injury in training following his comeback.
Returning to training again in the week, Klopp confirmed the 30-year-old again had to miss sessions after suffering with a chest infection, with the Reds now waiting to see if he can take part in training on Friday ahead of Sunday’s game.
“Thiago trained with us,” Klopp said. “Unfortunately when Covid is around, you always think it’s the only infection you can get or the only virus you can get but he had a little chest infection so he had to step a little bit aside again.
“It’s not perfect of course but I expect him to be in team training today again so we will see. The rest, the injuries are completely fine. Looked really good in training but that’s sometimes how things are.
“We will see how we can use him for Sunday.”
Klopp also confirmed that Divock Origi has returned to training following injury, having not featured since Liverpool’s win against AC Milan back in December, though Sunday’s game could come too soon for the Belgian.
However, the German was full of praise for midfielder Naby Keita following his own return to the AXA Training Centre after captaining Guinea at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“Divock, yesterday first time back in full team training and looked very good,” Klopp said.
“But it was the first time back in full team training in, I don’t know exactly how long, it was a while. So from here we go as well.
“Naby is completely fine. Naby came back full of energy. He had a few days off as well, came back here after the tournament full of energy and confidence so that looked good.”
