Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Sadio Mane missed the defeat to Brighton, while Ozan Kabak joined on loan from Schalke on Monday; watch Liverpool vs Manchester City live on Sky Sports Premier League this Sunday from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm
Friday 5 February 2021 15:58, UK
Jurgen Klopp confirmed Ozan Kabak is in line to feature against Manchester City on Sunday, but the Liverpool boss remained coy on the fitness of Alisson, Fabinho and Sadio Mane.
Kabak joined from Schalke on loan for the remainder of the season on Deadline Day, while Liverpool have an option to buy the 20-year-old in the summer.
The defender did not feature in the defeat to Brighton, but he has since received international clearance to play against Premier League leaders City, live on Sky Sports on Sunday, a point Klopp only learned moments before Friday's pre-match press conference.
"International clearance, yes," said Klopp, after consulting Liverpool's press officer beside him. "Obviously in the last 10 minutes because 10 minutes ago nobody told me that. Great!"
Klopp also said Alisson, Fabinho and Mane - who all missed the Brighton match - all featured in parts of training on Friday, stating "we'll see" with regards to whether the trio would face City at Anfield.
"Ali feels much better, good enough to have an individual session today. Sadio and Fab will be in parts of team training today, and then we'll see," he added.
Kabak's availability, along with that of fellow Deadline Day signing Ben Davies, could see at least one of the pair start at centre-back against City, with captain Jordan Henderson potentially returning to midfield after deputising at the back.
Klopp admitted he is unsure whether Kabak will start, but said both he and Davies were shown a "centre-half movie" on Thursday to outline Liverpool's defensive approach.
Asked if Kabak was ready to start, Klopp said: "I don't know. Our situation, we will see who can play again, who cannot, who should not or should play again. All these kind of things and then we'll see.
"In an ideal world you have a few weeks to work together on defensive things, especially organisation and all these kind of things. The boys now, Ben and Ozan, trained yesterday and had an analysis meeting where they got shown all the stuff we do usually, like a centre-half movie.
"So, today, proper session, tomorrow proper session, and then we'll see. I don't know yet."
After the 1-0 home loss against Brighton, Liverpool defender Andy Robertson admitted the champions were not in a title race "at this moment" given City are seven points above them with a game in hand.
Klopp echoed this belief, but said Liverpool will strive to keep picking up points and see where they are in the table come April or May.
"After two years now getting this question all the time when we were close enough it might have made some sense, I just don't see it at the moment," Klopp said. "You have to win football games, if you do that often enough, there's a specific moment in the season where it's clear, 'Okay, now we go for it'.
"We were in the last two years in that situation. In [this] moment we are not. Why should we think about it? But we have to think about collecting our points, that it might happen in April or May again, but I don't know yet so why should we think about it?
"We only think about it because we get asked. But it's not important, it's not what drives you or gets you up every morning. We really try hard, in a very, very tricky season, and we will try. We will continue trying 100 per cent, and Sunday the next time."
"Andy Robertson has come out and said Liverpool aren't in the title race, and I think that is the right way to look at it at the moment," Jamie Carragher told the Pitch to Post Preview Podcast.
"Liverpool have to be looking at the top four positions, and to say the obvious, take each game as it comes because the form is so down.
"There are so many changes to the team that you are never quite sure what it's going to be. Alisson was out at the last minute against Brighton and Liverpool are still waiting for players to come back.
"So I think from now, if you were to offer Liverpool a top-four finish they would take that and shake on it. That should be the mindset for Liverpool because that is what they are aiming for at the moment.
"If they could get back into the title race - and, to do that, they would have to beat City on Sunday - you could maybe see where they are with seven or eight games to go. Hopefully from Liverpool's perspective, City could have some sort of drop.
"The run City are on at the moment is out of this world. It's impossible to keep that going, City cannot win every single game so I would expect them to drop points at some stage.
"But the problem for Liverpool is that the gap is too big - and it certainly will be if they fail to win at Anfield."
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