Jurgen Klopp has said Sadio Mane is a doubt for Saturday’s game with Stoke City as tries to juggle his squad ahead of the Champions League semifinal second leg away to Roma.
When asked about Mane’s fitness at a news conference on Friday morning, Klopp said: “Of course there is something. We will see. It is not that serious. There is a chance for tomorrow. If we use that chance or not… it is quite early in the day.
“In these times, you always have to use each second and minute, speak to the player, speak to the doc, speak to the physiotherapists and all that stuff. At the end, you have to make a decision and I will make a decision.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain, meanwhile, suffered knee ligament damage early on in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over Roma.
His injury currently leaves Liverpool with just three fit senior central midfielders, with Klopp expressing his frustration at the unfortunate circumstances that will now lead to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s length absence.
“I have no words for that,” he added. “I cannot believe that this wonderful player, person, boy, guy, whatever, in such a positive situation, helping the team, having a clear, clear challenge, something like this happens. I really have no words for that.
“When I saw it back I thought: ‘Wow.’ It’s just a shame, it’s not fair, to be honest. But that’s how life is sometimes and, how do we say it, if you get a lemon you make lemonade of it and that’s what we have to do.
“That’s what Alex is doing, he’s an absolute positive person and he will be back. I told him already that we will wait for him like a good wife when a man is in prison.”
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