Liverpool given boost as trio return to training after Covid absence

Liverpool trio Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones have all returned to training after missing three matches due to positive Covid results.

Midfielder Thiago remains out after testing positive a few days later than his teammates.

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The return will come as a boost to Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp who’s next fixture will be on December 29th as they travel to Leicester to take on Brendan Rodgers’ side.

The Reds were scheduled to take on Leeds on Boxing Day but the clash was postponed due to Covid cases in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad.

The postponement is bad news for Scotland captain Andy Robertson who was sent off against Spurs last weekend with his ban now ruling him out of the important trip to Chelsea at the start of January

Liverpool were unbeaten in the absence of defender van Dijk and midfielders Fabinho and Jones after a win over struggling Newcastle before a hard-fought draw at Spurs.

Klopp’s side then fought back to win on penalties against Leicester on Wednesday evening in the Carabao Cup.

Van Dijk and Fabinho were unlikely to feature against the Foxes even before their Covid results but Jones would have most likely been given some game time to increase hit fitness after returning from injury.

In the festive spirit pic.twitter.com/ujHXCL33DV

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 24, 2021

Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Klopp believes the Carabao Cup semi-finals should be one-leg rather than the traditional two in order to help players welfare.

“I think it would be better with one game absolutely, but obviously what I say is not too important,” he said after making ten changes for the quarter-final with three academy players in his starting line-up and five on the bench.

“If there are two games, then we will play two games. But it would be helpful if there was only one, true.

“The draw has us at Arsenal, I’m fine with that, we play there and see who is better and go for it.

“I don’t just speak about player welfare this year, I have been speaking about it for six years or maybe longer.

“If the things I say would help more, I would say it much more often. But it doesn’t help.

“The only thing I do with these messages is I create headlines. They never arrive at the right places.

“Tomorrow we have a meeting at 4pm but it’s with the Premier League and not with the EFL, I’m not sure if they are involved or not.

“I said it before, I would prefer only one semi-final. But I can’t see any kind of changes actually.”

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