Jurgen Klopp delivered his team news before Thiago wasn’t pictured in Liverpool training on Tuesday. The Reds face Benfica this evening.
Liverpool put out their training photos yesterday and there was a notable absentee – Thiago. That came after Jurgen Klopp’s injury update where he declared a fully-fit squad.
“Nobody sent me a message so far and told me [there are injury issues],” Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com. “Yesterday all was fine – tired yes, but nobody injured. So yeah, we should be fine.”
That suggests there’s no great worry over Thiago but the Spaniard wasn’t training, per the Liverpool Echo. Now, perhaps he was training on his own, maybe he had time off – who really knows? It is a question we’re waiting to hear an answer for as Liverpool host Benfica tonight, however.
Thiago for Liverpool
The real question, we think, is whether Thiago should play tonight. Fit or not, this is a game he’ll probably sit out.
Liverpool carry a healthy 3-1 lead, after all, and everyone expects them to see off Benfica with relative ease. The Portuguese side won’t have Rafa Silva, either – it’s a huge ask for them to get anything out of the game at Anfield.
In usual circumstances, you’d expect Liverpool to still go all-out and win comfortably. They’re coming off a tough fixture against Manchester City, however, and more importantly, have another coming up.
Resting some of the more tired legs makes a lot of sense, then, as Liverpool fight on three fronts. Thiago doesn’t have a nice fitness record at the best of times and he played the full 90 minutes against City on Sunday.
We think he’s one to rest tonight, especially with Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ready to step up. Any of that quartet is ready to step in and help Liverpool get past Benfica with a two-goal lead.
So fit or not, we think saving Thiago for the weekend is the right move.
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