Jurgen Klopp will resist the temptation to thrust Adam Lallana back into action when Liverpool face AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
The Anfield manager has revealed that influential midfielder Lallana is back in training but it is thought the game against Eddie Howe’s Cherries is probably too soon to see the England ace pull on a red shirt just yet.
Klopp’s men can go back to the top of the table with a victory on the south coast, depending on the outcome of the Manchester City clash with Chelsea in the top flight tomorrow lunchtime.
But Lallana probably won’t figure as he gets back to full fitness following an injury he sustained playing for the Three Lions early last month.
Klopp held court with assembled media ahead of the match and lifted the lid on his thoughts going into the game.
He said:
“There will be a few changes, probably. I’m happy about each player that is back in training.”
“Adam has been training since Thursday — yesterday was the first session and he looked good. We really needed to see how he reacted to the intensity of the training yesterday. It was quite intense for him, I think, but all good. Having him back is cool.”
“Roberto trained yesterday, too, and there’s still a little bit of pain – it’s painful but not that serious. When you can deal with the pain, then everything is fine. He is quite a tough guy, so he came through the session yesterday. Again, we have to see how he reacts and that’s it.”
There is some debate as to whether Ben Woodburn, who became the Reds’ youngest-ever goal-scorer with a strike against Leeds in the EFL Cup midweek — aged just 17 years and 45 days could feature.
Klopp says he is fully aware that Bournemouth play football with style and pose a threat.
He added:
“I have to think about Bournemouth, they did well, a football-playing side. Eddie Howe is doing a fantastic job there. They have the pressure, which we all have, to win games.
“They know about the difficulty of the league. They’re confident enough to cause us problems. We have to find solutions to these problems.”
Meanhwile, Daniel Sturridge has no chance of being available as he desperately tries to shake off a calf complain that has restricted his first team efforts of late.
