Both Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic are sidelined by frustrating injuries and Jurgen Klopp has offered an update on their progress.
The Spanish midfield pair have endured a testing period with their fitness this season, with Thiago kept out completely with a hip injury while Bajcetic has played just 72 minutes of football due to an ongoing adductor issue.
Asked whether either player had any hope of making a return in January, the boss had an optimistic tone while keeping his cards close to his chest with regard to the details.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure, I think Thiago at some point will be in team training,” said Klopp in his pre-Newcastle press conference.
“With Stefan, if you ask, ‘how do you feel?’ he says, ‘good’ and ‘could you train?’ and yes, he could.
“But it’s just we have to be sensible, that’s how it is. It’s a growing issue, it’s not growing but because of his growth and this age, we just have to be careful.
“He could train today fully and tomorrow as well and then not for four or five weeks, it’s a medical decision. It’s not by the boy, it’s by me, it’s just that’s how you have to do it if something like this happens.
“That makes it so annoying for the boy.”
Both Thiago and Bajcetic were included in the 32-man squad that travelled to Germany in pre-season, but they have since experienced further setbacks on their roads to full recovery.
The latter has made just two appearances so far in 2023/24, and looks unlikely to play a significant role for the rest of the campaign having enjoyed a breakout in the season prior.
The caution Liverpool are exercising with the teenager could well be to try and avoid any long-term complications through being overplayed, with Barcelona’s Pedri an example of what can happen given the series of injuries he has experienced aged just 21.
Thiago, on the other hand, hasn’t featured since April due to a recurring hip flexor problem, but the Liverpool manager insists the 32-year-old is in a “good moment” with his fitness.
“Thiago is in a very good moment as well, we just have to make sure we don’t use him too early,” he continued.
“The hip, in and around that area, is just a long-term thing as well. There were days he could’ve easily trained, but it’s all about how he can be back in the long term.
“That’s what we are working on.”
