Report Provides Updates on Salah, Mane, Van Dijk & Keita Ahead of Liverpool's Huddersfield Clash
Liverpool have been handed a fitness boost ahead of this weekend's Premier League clash with Huddersfield as it looks as though both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are likely to be given the green light to play despite injury concerns during the international break.
Salah suffered a minor muscle injury while in action for Egypt, while Van Dijk was sent home early by the Netherlands as a result of the rib pain he has been carrying for a few weeks.
Soccrates Images/GettyImages
Both were considered potential doubts for Saturday, but a positive report Liverpool Echo has revealed that Salah has 'responded well' since and that the Reds are 'increasingly confident' he will be fit enough to play against Huddersfield.
The same report notes that Van Dijk has also been training and is expected to play.
Sadio Mane could be involved after undergoing successful surgery on a thumb injury. He may have discomfort and will have protective strapping, but it shouldn't affect his fitness, regardless of a sensationalised report from the Daily Star that it will take 'THREE MONTHS' to heal.
Naby Keita was Liverpool's fourth victim of the international break and is expected to miss a couple of games as a result of the hamstring injury he suffered while playing for Guinea.
Guinean journalist Sega Diallo has tweeted that Keita will be out for 'at least two weeks'. As well as missing the Huddersfield game, it suggests he will also have to sit out against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League and Cardiff in the Premier League.
His participation against Arsenal on November 3 may also come into doubt.
Liverpool fans have been keen to point the finger at the international break for the string of injuries this week, but Anfield legend Jan Molby has proposed that they might have happened anyway because of the intense run of fixtures in recent weeks.
"It's always disappointing when players go away okay for international duty, then come back not okay. But I'm not sure it would have been any different if they had stayed and instead been playing for Liverpool," Molby suggested in a Liverpool Echo column.
Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
"The injuries might be down to a bit of fatigue, and it touches on what Klopp said after the Man City game. At some stage, somebody has to look after the players. You can have them as fit as you want, but when players are fatigued then they are more likely to pick up injuries."
