Andrew Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai are all set to return to action for Liverpool ahead of their big games against Chelsea and Arsenal.
Liverpool currently sit first in the Premier League, five points ahead of Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa although Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand. The Reds returned to action last weekend after their winter break as they comfortably beat Bournemouth 4-0 without some of their most important players.
And assistant Pep Lijnders has offered an update on the impending returns of Robertson, Alexander-Arnold and Szoboszlai ahead of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Fulham on Wednesday.
Lijnders revealed that Robertson is set to return to the squad for the first time since dislocating his shoulder while on international duty in October, while Alexander-Arnold and Szoboszlai should be back for Liverpool’s FA Cup fourth-round clash with Norwich on Sunday.
“Let’s start with Robbo because he trained yesterday with the team,” Lijnders said. “It’s now 13 weeks, he had his meeting with the surgeon to make sure that everything is right to go into full contact – it’s clear.
“So he did a lot of work and really good rehab throughout the last period, so he’s fit in terms of sports science. Now he has to get fit with proper team training. So that’s a big, big advantage to have him back.
“We were waiting for a long time – he’s one of our captains. I just met him in the canteen and he said, ‘Pep, I have my tracksuit with me!’ So he’s pushing himself into the squad, so that’s good. He will travel [to Fulham].
“Trent is progressing well through his rehab, working hard – how he is as a guy, knowing how important the next weeks are. But he will be back at the end of the week for team training, so hopefully, he will be available for the FA Cup.
“Dom trained yesterday with us, just one small-sided game, a one-touch game, but played good, felt good, did some extra work with the sports science team. He is ready but tomorrow comes too early for him, so he will be ready for the weekend if nothing goes wrong.”
Lijnders also hit back at criticism of Mohamed Salah after he returned to Merseyside for treatment on a hamstring injury he suffered at the Africa Cup of Nations. He said: “You should never doubt the commitment of Mo Salah. I never met a guy, and also a human being, who is more committed to the life of being a professional football player.”
