Jurgen Klopp has said “nobody knows” whether injured forward Sadio Mane will be able to make a comeback to action earlier than expected after being called up for Senegal’s forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.
“I don’t know how he can know, because I don’t know,” Klopp told a news conference on Friday. “Sadio is still in rehab. He is indoors and has not done any exercises outside, so that’s the situation at the moment.
“If he’s fit earlier I would be really happy, but nobody knows at this moment. Senegal need one point, I think, from two games to be qualified for the World Cup so I can imagine they feel the pressure a little bit, but we cannot change the situation.
“If Sadio is fit, we cannot hide it — why should we do it? If he is fit, I think we can do nothing to keep him here. He would go to the national team of Senegal, that’s clear, but at this moment I don’t know.”
Mane will miss Liverpool’s trip to take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.
And after keeping the in-form Romelu Lukaku quiet since Mourinho did not attack in last weekend’s goalless draw at home to Manchester United, Liverpool must try to do the same with Harry Kane.
But Klopp warned that his side would not be focusing just on Kane, adding: “We avoided the balls in to Lukaku,and that must be a key against Harry as well.
“If you are too concentrated on one player then Dele Alli is everywhere — in the box, around the box, and [Christian] Eriksen shoots from everywhere or plays the decisive passes.
“It’s a good team. You cannot, obviously, only be concentrated on one player.”
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