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LONDON: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is confident Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk will be fit to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final despite losing in the FA Cup final win over Chelsea on Saturday.
Both will be left out of Klopp’s squad for Tuesday’s visit to Southampton as a precaution, although the Reds are still in contention for the Premier League title.
Asked if either could play at St Mary’s, Klopp replied: “No. They’re both fine so the target for both would be that they could be involved again. the weekend.
“It’s very positive, definitely for the final and we’re realistic for the Wolves game (on Sunday), but for tomorrow, (we would prefer) not.”
Klopp’s men had renewed hope of propelling Manchester City to the title when Pep Guardiola’s side dropped two points in a 2-2 draw at West Ham on Sunday.
Defending champions City, with one game to play, are four points clear at the top of the table with a significantly better goal difference than their rivals, who still have two games to play.
Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties in the FA Cup final at the weekend to complete the second leg of a potential quadruple.
Brazil midfielder Fabinho, who missed the cup final with a muscle injury, is not yet ready to return but Scotland defender Andy Robertson is expected to be available after suffering cramps on Saturday.
“What I can promise and say definitively is that we will only field a team for one reason – to try and win the game at Southampton, however difficult it is, because that’s obviously the job to be done” , Klopp added.
However, the Liverpool boss is unconvinced City will drop a point against Aston Villa on Sunday to give his side a chance of winning the title.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s game,” Klopp said. “Is it a chance, a big chance? I wouldn’t say that because I don’t know when City last lost points two games in a row historically.
“So Aston Villa have to play midweek when they’re not used to it. Although I’m sure they’re all professionals and that kind of stuff, they want to go to City, but City are a very good team. So I don’t expect City to drop points there.”
Klopp said the FA Cup win, which followed Liverpool’s League Cup triumph earlier this season, brought relief to the club in the final weeks of the season.
“If we play a season like we play and win the Carabao Cup (League) and fight until the end for the league title, it is, for me, a very good season,” he said.
“It’s much better that we’ve already won two (trophies), to be honest.
“If we had lost the final, the negative scenario that we wouldn’t become champions and in a few weeks you don’t hesitate to remind me that everything depends on a game if it’s a success or not and that kind of thing. ”
Both will be left out of Klopp’s squad for Tuesday’s visit to Southampton as a precaution, although the Reds are still in contention for the Premier League title.
Asked if either could play at St Mary’s, Klopp replied: “No. They’re both fine so the target for both would be that they could be involved again. the weekend.
“It’s very positive, definitely for the final and we’re realistic for the Wolves game (on Sunday), but for tomorrow, (we would prefer) not.”
Klopp’s men had renewed hope of propelling Manchester City to the title when Pep Guardiola’s side dropped two points in a 2-2 draw at West Ham on Sunday.
Defending champions City, with one game to play, are four points clear at the top of the table with a significantly better goal difference than their rivals, who still have two games to play.
Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties in the FA Cup final at the weekend to complete the second leg of a potential quadruple.
Brazil midfielder Fabinho, who missed the cup final with a muscle injury, is not yet ready to return but Scotland defender Andy Robertson is expected to be available after suffering cramps on Saturday.
“What I can promise and say definitively is that we will only field a team for one reason – to try and win the game at Southampton, however difficult it is, because that’s obviously the job to be done” , Klopp added.
However, the Liverpool boss is unconvinced City will drop a point against Aston Villa on Sunday to give his side a chance of winning the title.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s game,” Klopp said. “Is it a chance, a big chance? I wouldn’t say that because I don’t know when City last lost points two games in a row historically.
“So Aston Villa have to play midweek when they’re not used to it. Although I’m sure they’re all professionals and that kind of stuff, they want to go to City, but City are a very good team. So I don’t expect City to drop points there.”
Klopp said the FA Cup win, which followed Liverpool’s League Cup triumph earlier this season, brought relief to the club in the final weeks of the season.
“If we play a season like we play and win the Carabao Cup (League) and fight until the end for the league title, it is, for me, a very good season,” he said.
“It’s much better that we’ve already won two (trophies), to be honest.
“If we had lost the final, the negative scenario that we wouldn’t become champions and in a few weeks you don’t hesitate to remind me that everything depends on a game if it’s a success or not and that kind of thing. ”
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