Joel Matip is expected to return to Liverpool’s starting lineup to face Crystal Palace tomorrow, sources close to Anfield Central report.
The Reds managed a 2-1 win over Spurs without their 195cm centre half, with Academy gem Rhys Williams stepping in to help Fabinho keep Harry Kane quiet for 90 minutes.
Liverpool travel to London tomorrow to face Crystal Palace and Matip will almost certainly be a part of the starting XI but sources close to Anfield Central claim that Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff are growing impatient with the defender’s poor injury record.
Since Klopp signed him on a Bosman transfer, Matip has missed 293 days or 62 games of football through injury. It’s unacceptable for a player earning £110k per week to miss the equivalent of an entire season through injury.
The club is sympathetic towards Matip as they understand it’s not his fault that he picks up knocks more than most players but given that Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk are set to miss the majority of the season, Klopp and co. cannot afford to have any more injuries to defenders.
Kostas Tsimikas, who arrived from Olympiacos for £11.8m in the summer, has also been missing through injury for a good part of the campaign so far and thus Andy Robertson is essentially playing without any cover.
Liverpool head into their clash with Palace at the top of the Premier League and will be keen to capitalise on any dropped points this weekend from the likes of Spurs and the Manchester clubs.