Liverpool Manager Klopp Confirms Injured Henderson, Keita Won't Face Arsenal
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed a double injury blow for Liverpool ahead of their trip to Arsenal on Saturday, with midfielders Naby Keita and Jordan Henderson both ruled out.
Keita hasn't featured since the last international break, when he picked up a muscular injury while playing for Guinea against Rwanda. He is nearing a return to fitness but this weekend will come too soon.
Henderson meanwhile was forced off at halftime in the win over Huddersfield two weeks ago, and hasn't been included in either of Liverpool's matchday squads since.
Klopp said (as quoted by Liverpool Echo journalist James Pearce) that Keita and Henderson were 'lucky' that their injuries had only ruled them out for a few weeks, though he joked "that means missing 20 games" - a reference to Liverpool's packed fixture schedule.
After facing Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday, Liverpool fly out to Serbia for their Champions League game against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday, before returning to England for a home game against Fulham on Remembrance Day.
Liverpool should not be too concerned by their injury problems, having scored four goals in each of their last two games without Keita and Henderson.
Fabinho has been impressive in their absence and he will surely start again on Saturday as Liverpool attempt to inflict Arsenal's first defeat since August.
Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner are likely to be the other two midfielders, although the in-form Xherdan Shaqiri will be pushing to start after scoring his first Liverpool goal last week against Cardiff.
This weekend will mark the first time that Klopp has faced Unai Emery since the 2016 Europa League final, which Liverpool lost to Sevilla.
