Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson’s recovery from an injury sustained during the international break is being taken “day by day”, manager Jurgen Klopp has said before the Reds host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday.
Robertson hurt an ankle during Scotland’s 1-0 home defeat against Northern Ireland on Tuesday and missed training on Friday, but Klopp played down the left-back’s problem and said fellow defender Ibrahima Konate had not taken part in the session because he was given an extra rest day.
“Darwin Nunez is fine,” added Klopp, conceding that he was “not sure” whether Curtis Jones, who has trained, will be available for Liverpool’s first game after the international fixtures.
“[Nunez] did his rehab during the week, trained on the first day partially and, since then, he is in full training.”
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Goalkeeper Alisson, wideman Trent Alexander-Arnold and forward Diogo Jota will step up their recoveries “next week”, Klopp explained.
“We will see what we do with that,” he said. “They aren’t too far away, but they’re not in yet. None are close to team training but they are all making their steps. It’s a positive.”
Liverpool v Brighton: Reds to go top?
Liverpool will go top of the table on Sunday if they beat the eighth-placed Seagulls and leaders Arsenal draw at third-placed Manchester City.
The Reds, who are aiming to finish Klopp’s final season in charge in glorious fashion, had won eight and drawn one of their previous nine matches in all competitions before losing their most recent encounter 4-3 after extra time at Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) MARCH 29, 2024
Defender or midfielder Stefan Bajcetic has returned to partial training with Liverpool under-21s as the 19-year-old continues his recovery from a calf injury which has sidelined him since September.
“Football brain-wise, he is a natural, so he hasn’t lost anything,” Klopp said. “But rhythm is something else.
“He will be in full training with the under-21s next week because we will not really train because we are playing all the time.
“After that, he will join our training. Then we will see. He has put a few muscles on and looks good.
“Conor Bradley didn’t need long after he was out for a long time as well. [Bajcetic] is a smart kid and I think he will be fine.
“I forgot he’d played for us early in the season and [then] everything went the wrong way but now he’s nearly back. I am happy for him and for us.”
