Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk out of Liverpool trip to Southampton but Jurgen Klopp insists: ‘It’s very positive’
Posted by  badge Boss on May 17, 2022 - 09:00PM
Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk will both miss Tuesday’s game (Picture: Getty Images)

Liverpool will be without and for the trip to Southampton on Tuesday and possibly their clash with Wolves on Sunday, but both will be back for the final next week.

Salah picked up a groin problem and Van Dijk a knee issue during the final, with neither man making it to the end of the Wembley contest.

With two Premier League games to go and then the Champions League final in Paris, there was great concern over two of the Reds’ star players, as well as midfielder Fabinho who limped out of last week’s win over Aston Villa.

The Brazilian appears to be in the same boat as the Egyptian and Dutchman, with none of the trio fit to play at Southampton on Tuesday, struggling to make the game with Wolves at the weekend but likely to be fine to face Real Madrid on 28 May.

Asked if Salah and Van Dijk could face Southampton, Klopp said: ‘No. They are both okay, so the target for both would be they could be involved again at the weekend.

‘It’s very positive. No doubt about the final and we’re realistic about the Wolves game (on Sunday), but for tomorrow, rather not.’

Neither Salah nor Van Dijk made it to the end of the FA Cup final (Picture: Getty Images)

Liverpool have had a remarkable run with almost no injuries in recent weeks, but have been hit just before the end of the season.

It has been an incredibly busy campaign for them, having already won the League Cup and FA Cup and still facing the Champions League final.

With so many games to play it has been a hectic schedule, but Klopp feels his team could have been handed an easier set of dates to play their remaining fixtures.

‘There are two more matchdays in this week,’ he said on Monday. ‘We played Saturday and it was possible that we (could) play 120 minutes, and they thought the best day for us to play the next game is the Tuesday.

‘You could have given us the Wednesday but I think that’s not possible because of the Europa League final. So, Thursday maybe? It would’ve been slightly better. Nobody thought, ‘We could give them a day more rest’.

‘But, again, I can’t wait to play the game, now we know where we play. I’m really excited about it and the boys who will start the game, they will go with all they have to make it happen.’

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