Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed star striker Daniel Sturridge will miss the Reds’ Capital One Cup fixture against AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday.
Knee injury has ruled out the England international for the last three matches. The German boss replaced Brendan Rodgers as the new manager at the Merseyside club earlier this month. Since his appointment, the ex-Chelsea and Manchester City man has not featured under the new man in charge at Anfield.
The two Premier League clubs, Liverpool and Bournemouth face each other in the fourth round of the Capital One Cup fixture at the Reds’ home. Klopp confirmed Sturridge has to wait until he makes a comeback into the first team.
“There is nothing really new in this part [squad fitness]. Daniel is not available for tomorrow. He is getting better but not quick enough that it changes the situation for us. He is not in training,” Klopp said, as quoted by the club’s official website.
“I saw him five minutes ago working with Chris [Morgan] in the gym, but it was not normal football training, so we have to wait.”
This could mean either Divock Origi and Christian Benteke could lead the Reds’ attack during the midweek. The latter scored a brilliant header in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Southampton, where he replaced the former Lille striker during the break.
Klopp will also be without the services of star midfielder James Milner, who will face his one match suspension. The former Borussia Dortmund manager revealed he will make changes for the clash against Bournemouth as he has set his sights on winning his first match as Liverpool manager.
“I will make the changes not because this tournament isn’t important for me – that is important for me to say. When I make changes, it is because I want to win the game – that’s the only reason for this. It is always because we believe we can win with that team and we always do what we believe we have to do in that moment,” he explained.
“With this game, Bournemouth, I will play for the first time in this cup and it is very important – a very, very important game – but I know we have had three games in the last eight or nine days in the legs, so we have to change.
“We have a suspended player in Milly [Milner], we have injured players and we have little problems where we won’t go and risk. We have to wait for this final information tomorrow morning. We will see who can train today and tomorrow and then we will make a team for tomorrow evening.”
“For sure, there will be one or two young players but not because this is not an important cup in the world for me – no, it is the complete opposite for me. I really want to win and that is the reason why we will change.”
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