Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Ibrahima Konate is a slight doubt for Wednesday's Premier League clash with West Ham United at the London Stadium.
The Reds travel to the capital aiming to record a third Premier League win on the bounce following entertaining successes over Nottingham Forest and Leeds United in recent weeks.
Liverpool's upturn in form has propelled them back into European contention as they lie seventh in the table, albeit nine points worse off than fourth-placed Manchester United having played a game more.
The Reds are already known to be without Stefan Bajcetic (adductor) and Calvin Ramsay (knee) for Wednesday's game, as the teenage duo continue to recover from season-ending surgeries.
Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino are also recuperating from muscular injuries, and Klopp revealed in his pre-game press conference that Konate would need assessing in the coming hours.
© Reuters
The French centre-back has completed the full 90 in each of the Reds' last five Premier League games under Virgil van Dijk, although Klopp is hopeful over his chances of shaking off his unspecified complaint.
"We have to see. We use the full time until tomorrow – well, we leave today so the decision we have to make today," the Reds boss told reporters.
"Ibou, we need to see how it is with him but in the moment I am rather positive but that doesn't mean a lot. From possible starters I think that's it."
Elaborating on the condition of Keita, who at one stage was feared to be missing the rest of the season with a muscular problem, Klopp had more positive news to share, claiming that the Guinea midfielder might be able to take part in some aspects of training.
"If everything goes well I think he could be in partial training today. That's what I heard yesterday. He was not in team training yet but he could do warming up, if we do rondos he could do that and then he has again to do his own programme. So it means, yes, [he is] much closer, much, much closer," Klopp added.
© Reuters
Meanwhile, Klopp revealed prior to Saturday's win over Forest that Firmino would likely miss at least three games with a muscle issue, although he still expects the Brazilian to be fit before the end of the season.
"We are still thinking that... this week, no, I hope that at the end of the week he is closer, but so far he was not in team training, so that's it." Klopp said.
In Firmino's absence, Diogo Jota has stepped up to the plate with back-to-back braces against Leeds and Forest, and Klopp waxed lyrical about the "exceptional" Portuguese, who appears to have consigned his injury problems to history.
"He is an exceptional player; since Diogo joined us he did exceptional stuff for us. Super-smart player, can play really different positions, has a few super-interesting skills for an offensive player," Klopp added.
"He is not the tallest but is an extreme threat in the air, timing is top, can finish with both feet, which is extremely helpful. Has the speed. That's it. Diogo was now [out] this year obviously with a really bad injury, this season. Before that, little things here and there, so that kept him a little bit back, nothing else."
Should Aston Villa fail to beat Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, Liverpool would move up to fifth with victory over West Ham before Tottenham Hotspur tackle Manchester United on Thursday.
No Data Analysis info
