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Milner picked up the injury against Wolves. Getty Images
Sidelined

Klopp delivers Liverpool injury update as Milner ruled out of Arsenal clash

The Reds’ vice-captain is sidelined with a muscular issue.

JAMES MILNER CONTINUES to nurse a muscular injury and has been ruled out of Liverpool’s Premier League clash against Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday evening. 

The Reds’ vice-captain missed the St Stephen’s Day win over Newcastle, a result which extended Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table to six points, and has failed to recover in time for the visit of Unai Emery’s Gunners.

Jurgen Klopp is hopeful of having 32-year-old Milner back fit and available for next week’s crunch trip to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City, who have fallen to third in the table behind the Reds and Tottenham. 

Liverpool will have Alberto Moreno available for selection for tomorrow’s teatime kick-off at Anfield, after the defender recovered from a back problem which kept him out last weekend. 

Dominic Solanke [muscle] is also out of the clash with the Gunners, Klopp confirmed this afternoon.

“Millie is Millie and that means he is again ahead of schedule,” the Liverpool boss said.

“He had, yes, a little bit with the [hamstring] muscle. He will not be available for tomorrow, that’s not possible, but hopefully the game after that he will be available again.

“Alberto trained the first time really pain-free yesterday so he will probably be in contention. Dom Solanke has muscle problems and will not be involved. Joe [Gomez] obviously not, and Joel [Matip] not. Both are doing well and making big steps but it will take some time.”

Meanwhile, Klopp is optimistic of welcoming Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back from injury before the end of the season. The 25-year-old has not played since undergoing surgery on damaged knee ligaments suffered against Roma in April.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was expected to miss all of the 2018/19 campaign as a result, but he returned to light training on Christmas Eve.

gettyimages-1075212162-594x594 Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Liverpool FC via Getty Images

And having shown no reaction, Klopp says some competitive outings this term is not beyond the realms of possibility.  

“[It’s the] best news, best news,” the German told his pre-Arsenal press conference at Melwood on Friday afternoon.

“He started going on the pitch and from the first step he did it looked completely normal, not like sometimes when a player is coming back from an injury and he starts running and then you see them still, not really limping, but it’s not the picture you have in your mind.

“With Ox, from the first step it looked like Ox and that was really nice. Then we had to wait for the reaction – and there was no reaction, which is even nicer. No pressure put on him, but it looks like he could maybe be back in normal training in late February – maybe, I am not sure, [maybe] March. So that gives us hope he will be back in the season.

“That’s the moment; we are usually not that excited about something like this but a lot of things can happen, it’s true it still can happen a lot after being out for that long time, but it looked so positive.

“It is just nice to have him around with a smile on his face again. He very often has a smile on his face, but now with good reason. He is obviously happy and we are very happy.” 

Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Andy Dunne look back on a memorable year for Irish rugby.


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