Naby Keita back in Liverpool squad to face Crystal Palace after illness

Posted Friday, August 12, 2022 by PA

Liverpool’s Naby Keita has returned after illness to ease some of the midfield pressure on manager Jurgen Klopp ahead of Monday’s game at home to Crystal Palace.

Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (both hamstring) and Curtis Jones (calf) are all absent until the end of the month or longer.

Klopp is also still without forward Diogo Jota (thigh), centre-back Ibrahima Konate (knee) and back-up goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher but second-choice left-back Kostas Tsimikas (knee) has returned to training.

Michael Olise could finally make a return to Patrick Vieira’s squad on Monday and has been in training with Palace all week.

The 20-year-old sat out pre-season and the Eagles’ opener against Arsenal as he continued to recover from a foot injury sustained last spring.

Nathan Ferguson, meanwhile, has “had a setback” and has not been in training for the past few days, while James McArthur and James Tomkins will also miss the match.

Liverpool provisional squad: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Elliott, Salah, Nunez, Diaz, Adrian, Gomez, Bajcetic, Chambers, Van den Berg, Tsimikas, Milner, Keita, Carvalho, Firmino.

Crystal Palace provisional squad: Guaita, Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Doucoure, Schlupp, Eze, Zaha, Edouard, Ayew, Johnstone, Ward, Milivojevic, Mateta, Hughes, Ebiowei, Richards, Riedewald, Plange, Olise.