It may just be an Intercontinental Cup clash in pre-season, but Manchester United vs Liverpool remains a massive rivalry and the Reds have been dealt a massive injury blow with Jurgen Klopp effectively confirming Naby Keita will not take part in Saturday’s clash at the Michigan Stadium.
“Probably,” Klopp stated at his pre-match press conference, after being asked if Keita would not be playing against the Red Devils.
“It’s really only a stiff neck, but the eight hours on the plane with the air conditioning… it was quite comfortable but obviously not comfortable enough for him! Since then it’s getting better, absolutely,” the German tactician added, quelling fears that the Guinean midfielder may be out for a while.
So far, Keita has been impressive in pre-season and the 23-year-old’s bizarre injury has come at the worst possible time for the start of the Premier League is less than two weeks away.
“He will not train today but what will happen tomorrow, we have another session tomorrow morning, we will see. If somebody tells me overnight it’s now perfect, then we will use him. But I don’t know it in the moment, that’s all. It’s not serious. We’ve all had a stiff neck – sometimes it’s gone overnight and sometimes not. In this case obviously not.”
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The former RB Leipzig man is seen as the dynamic presence the Reds have been missing since club icon Steven Gerrard hung up his boots and expectations are high ahead of the Guinean’s first season in the English top-flight.
Liverpool have really made waves in the transfer market, splashing the cash for Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson. Keita’s transfer had been agreed last season itself, while Virgil van Dijk arrived in the January transfer window.
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Despite selling star player Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, Klopp’s men have effectively strengthened in every department and are being touted as the team to end Manchester City’s dominance in England.