Jose: Do Liverpool really have injury problem?

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Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho has questioned whether Liverpool have an injury crisis ahead of their top-of-the-table clash at Anfield on Wednesday.

The champions have a number of first-team players injured, including Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara, while defender Joel Matip remains a doubt for Wednesday’s game.

But Mourinho believes Matip will play at Anfield and that Van Dijk is the only key absentee, with Xherdan Shaqiri and James Milner also sidelined through injury.

Asked about Liverpool’s injury list and the team he is expecting to face, Mourinho replied: “I think Alisson is not injured. [Trent] Alexander-Arnold is not injured. Matip, I believe that he is going to play. Fabinho is not injured. [Andrew] Robertson is not injured. [Jordan] Henderson is not injured. [Georginio] Wijnaldum is not injured. [Mohamed] Salah is not injured. [Roberto] Firmino is not injured. [Sadio] Mane is not injured. Van Dijk is injured, and Van Dijk is a very good player, of course.

Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho
Image: Mourinho (left) has played down Jurgen Klopp’s injury problems at Liverpool

“But give me Liverpool’s list of injuries and compare that list of injuries with what is the best Liverpool team.

“I can give you a list of injuries at Tottenham. We have two kids of the under-16s with injuries, we have two others in the under-21s and we have three in the under-23s. We have [Erik] Lamela and [Japhet] Tanganga, and here you have a list of players.

“But is [Hugo] Lloris injured? No. [Toby] Alderweireld injured? No. [Eric] Dier injured? No. [Sergio] Reguilon injured? No. Harry Kane injured? No. [Heung-Min] Son injured? No. Lucas [Moura] injured? No.

“So where are the injuries? There are normal injuries, it’s normal. James Milner is injured, Lamela is injured, and every club now and again has injuries. Liverpool has a big injury, which is Van Dijk.”

More to follow…

Klopp unsure if Matip will face Spurs

Matip was forced off at half-time in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Fulham, leaving Liverpool with no recognised centre-backs on the pitch – with midfielder Jordan Henderson dropping into defence to partner Fabinho.

“I don’t know yet. Only two days ago we played, he left the pitch with back spasms,” said Klopp.

“The physios worked pretty much 24 hours on him, so we will see. Today we have another session, then we will see.”

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