Joel Matip ruled out of Liverpool’s clash with West Ham due to illness

Posted Saturday, March 05, 2022 by PA

Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip will miss Saturday’s visit of West Ham through a non-Covid-related illness.

That is likely to mean Ibrahima Konate, who started in the midweek FA Cup win over Norwich, comes in to partner Virgil Van Dijk.

Midfielder Thiago Alcantara is not yet ready to return after a tight hamstring forced him out of last weekend’s Carabao Cup final win, midfielders Curtis Jones and Naby Keita face late fitness tests but forward Roberto Firmino will not resume training until Sunday after a muscle injury.

West Ham’s Ukraine international Andriy Yarmolenko will not feature due to the continuing crisis in his homeland.

Midfielder Tomas Soucek is a doubt after having stitches in a head wound during the FA Cup loss to Southampton in midweek.

Mark Noble and Aaron Cresswell will hope to return while defenders Ryan Fredericks (groin) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) could also be in contention after lay-offs.

Liverpool provisional squad: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah, Jota, Mane, Kelleher, Gomez, Tsimikas, Milner, Morton, Elliott, Minamino, Origi, Diaz, Keita, Jones.

West Ham provisional squad: Fabianski, Areola, Zouma, Rice, Cresswell, Dawson, Johnson, Fredericks, Masuaku, Soucek, Fornals, Vlasic, Lanzini, Bowen, Antonio, Diop, Kral, Benrahma, Perkins, Okoflex, Noble, Alese.