Ahead of Liverpool’s clash against Newcastle, Jurgen Klopp gave an update on Ibrahima Konate‘s injury – and it isn’t exactly good news.
After Klopp declared Konate an injury “doubt” in his pre-match press conference, the Frenchman has failed to make the matchday squad.
Klopp explained the situation, saying on the Premier League‘s international feed: “He will be back after the international break. Not too serious, but serious enough.
“Maybe a chance for [Aston] Villa, but I expect him to be back after the international break.”
This means that the next time we will likely see him in a red shirt is against Wolves on September 16. It also, in theory, rules him out of an international call-up, which will aid his recovery.
For the Newcastle match, Joel Matip replaces the Frenchman as he partners Virgil van Dijk for the first time this season, and Andy Robertson makes up the back three while Liverpool have the ball.
Matip has played this position before but has looked considerably uncomfortable covering the large spaces that are required of him.
Wataru Endo starts his first match in midfield for Liverpool and, on Sky Sports, Klopp said: “Everything we did in training, Wataru looks really good so it was clear that he will start today.”
Klopp added: “Diogo [Jota] couldn’t train yesterday. We had a really important session from a tactical point of view, he had a little cold or whatever, that a few players had this week, that meant he couldn’t train.”
Jarell Quansah makes the bench vs. Newcastle and Klopp has mentioned he is another option in defence, as is Joe Gomez.
