Klopp ´not worried´ about Liverpool´s Salah but Matip misses Napoli clash

Jurgen Klopp is “not worried” about Mohamed Salah’s ankle injury and hinted the Liverpool forward is in line to feature in Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Napoli.

Salah was an unused substitute as the Reds won 2-1 at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, and Klopp indicated the rest has helped with the Egypt international’s recovery.

Since picking up the injury during Liverpool’s win over Leicester City in October, Salah has been on a reduced training schedule and opted out of international duty while Egypt played Kenya and Comoros in November.

Asked about Salah’s situation ahead of the Napoli game, Klopp told a news conference: “Really good, [he] looked really good in training yesterday especially, after the game.

“Yesterday we didn’t do too much so we’ll see, but I’m not worried about it.”

Joel Matip remains unavailable as the Reds await a fresh assessment of the defender’s knee injury, Jürgen Klopp has explained.

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 26, 2019

Klopp also provided an update on Joel Matip’s knee injury, which has kept the 28-year-old defender out of action for over a month.

Matip’s last appearance came in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on October 20 and Klopp refused to put a date on his return.

“This week is an important one, we will build, we have to measure the improvement of the healing with a scan probably,” said Klopp.

“And then we will see how it is. From that moment, we can make decisions.

“It’s nothing you can rush, you just have to wait. Our body is like this from time to time. So nothing new really about him.”

Liverpool can make sure of progress to the Champions League knock-out phase with a win against Napoli, who beat them in the opening round of group games in September.

Yet Klopp warned his players against the temptation of looking forward to what for them might be a dead rubber against Salzburg in December.

The Reds are top of Group E, one point clear of Napoli and five ahead of Salzburg with two group games left to play.

Klopp said he is focused on his reigning European champions getting a result against Carlo Ancelotti’s men, whose form has dipped in the last month.

“The biggest mistake we could make is thinking about what would happen if we win it,” said Klopp. “That’s the target, but it’s the same for Napoli – if they win the game, they’re through as well.

“I expect them to be really strong. They are a sensationally good football team. Yes, they didn’t have the results they’d expect in the last couple of weeks, but they might feel a kind of relief that they can feel free in a game like this.”