Liverpool are back in Premier League action this weekend, with Brighton coming to Anfield on Sunday.
It’s a big couple of days in the title race, as Arsenal face Manchester City at the Emirates. With the Reds playing first on Sunday, they have the chance to put the pressure on both of their rivals with a win.
The match has taken on a little extra spice with last night’s news that Xabi Alonso has pulled out of the running to replace Jurgen Klopp.
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi seems to still be firmly in the picture to be Klopp’s successor and will want to impress on a potential audition at Anfield.
De Zerbi’s team have been in mixed form of late though, and Liverpool should still be comfortable favourites. However, already suffering with some injuries, the Reds’ prospects may have become bleaker after a worrying update yesterday.
Liverpool train ahead of Brighton clash
It was great to see Liverpool players reconvene at the AXA Training Centre yesterday after a couple of weeks away.
With no further international breaks scheduled between now and the end of the season, it’s now full steam ahead for a potential treble.
There was excitement too, as 17-year-old starlet Kieran Morrison trained with the senior squad for the very first time.
But as well as the delight of seeing Morrison turning out, there was some concern for Liverpool, too. Journalist David Lynch took to X to report that Ibrahima Konate hadn’t been seen in footage from the session. Curtis Jones was also seemingly absent.
“No sign of Curtis Jones or Ibrahima Konate in Sky’s live coverage of Liverpool’s training session today,” Lynch reports.
Having only just come back from a knock and then played 90 minutes for France on Tuesday, Konate’s absence is a slight worry.
Is Ibrahima Konate injured again
Klopp will surely have been furious with Didier Deschamps’ decision to play Konate for a full game on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old hadn’t played for three weeks having damaged his hamstring against Sparta Prague. It seemed completely reckless to call him up, let alone play him.
Of course, just because Ibou wasn’t seen in training doesn’t necessarily mean he’s injured. Having only just come back, he may have been doing recovery elsewhere in the complex.
No doubt Klopp will clear this up – as well as the availability of Jones who was hoped to be fit to face Brighton – at his press conference later today. Fingers crossed for good news.