Liverpool injury scare as Dejan Lovren ruled out of Club World Cup with muscle problem
DEJAN LOVREN has been left out of Liverpool’s Club World Cup squad after suffering an injury.
Jurgen Klopp has named a 20-man group to fly out to Qatar today ahead of Wednesday’s clash against Monterrey in Doha.
Centre-back Lovren, 30, picked up a muscle problem in the win over Red Bull Salzburg and missed Watford’s visit to Anfield yesterday.
After the midweek clash, Klopp confirmed: “He is out, muscle this time – more serious than last time. We don’t have a time-frame.”
Georginio Wijnaldum was taken off in the second half against the Hornets with a knock but does make the party.
Liverpool will hope to reach Saturday’s Club World Cup final where they could potentially face Copa Libertadores champs Flamengo.
The Reds are due to field a second-string team against Aston Villa on Tuesday in a League Cup quarter-final in a nightmare fixture pile-up.
And speaking after the 2-0 Watford win, Klopp hit out at the schedule.
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He said: “The fixtures are like they are. You all like watching us suffering. That is how it is.
“Maybe you look concerned but in the end nobody really cares, to be 100 per cent honest.
“We have to deal with it, we speak about it and nobody else really speaks about it. When you discuss it, we don’t know exactly what they want.
“Today I read an article that the top clubs want more games in the Champions League, I am not involved in these plans so that is absolute b******s as well.
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“We can talk about everything but we have to cut off games, not put more in. Until then we have to do what we do and we will do that, we’re positive about it.
“It is clear we need each point we can get because it is a tough and long season. You can make early judgement but we can’t, we just have to recover and play the next game.”
Liverpool Club World Cup squad: Alisson, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Gomez, Adrian, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Lonergan, Shaqiri, Robertson, Origi, Jones, Alexander-Arnold, Williams.