Jurgen Klopp confirms Thiago blow and four more Liverpool injury updates as Luis Diaz gives return date

Jurgen Klopp confirms Thiago blow and four more Liverpool injury updates as Luis Diaz gives return date

Thiago Alcantara faces a race against time to be fit for Monday’s Merseyside derby – with Diogo Jota on the brink of a much-anticipated Liverpool comeback.

But the Reds will not take any risks over the fitness of Roberto Firmino, Virgil van Dijk and Arthur Melo after the trio returned to training on the pitch at the AXA Training Centre this week.

Luis Diaz (Getty images)

Thiago is a major doubt for the Premier League visit of Everton after missing full training on Thursday as he struggles to overcome a hip problem.

Jota, who hasn’t featured since suffering a calf injury in mid-October, made a tentative return to full training last week and has been part of the main group this week.

And Klopp said: “Thiago has some problems. I know the problem but I have to ask if I am allowed to say about it! Hip flexor, stuff like this. So he was not able to train.”

Diaz has not featured since sustaining a knee injury during the Reds’ 3-2 defeat to Arsenal on October 9.

The Colombian was named in Liverpool’s mid-season training camp in Dubai during the World Cup hiatus but suffered a setback after returning to training and flew back to England to undergo surgery on the knee issue.

Speaking earlier this month, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp confirmed Diaz had stepped up his rehabilitation and was now running on grass. However, he admitted it will “take a few weeks” before he is ready for a return to first-team training.

But now the former Porto winger has broken his silence in an interview with Sky Sports and admitted he has his eyes set on the second leg of Liverpool’s mouth-watering Champions League clash with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 15.

In other news, Former Liverpool star urges the club to sign Premier League midfielder instead of Jude Bellingham