Matip and Gomez Remain on Schedule for Return from Injury

It’s bad news for any Liverpool fans desperate to concoct a reason for a bit of panicked transfer spending.

While many Liverpool fans are wallowing in worry and worst-case scenarios when it comes to the club’s centre half depth and the current injury crisis that sees three of the club’s four senior players out injured, those actually at the club aren’t worried.

Dejan Lovren may be expected to miss four to six weeks with a hamstring strain, and at the moment it may just be Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Fabinho—who Jürgen Klopp considers a viable fifth-choice—on the depth chart, but that won’t be the case for long.

That’s because, according to The Evening Standard’s David Lynch, Klopp is feeling good about the status of Joël Matip and Joe Gomez, with both players recovering to schedule and expected to be back in action within the coming weeks.

Matip has been able to continue with non-contact training despite the broken collarbone he suffered against Napoli. That means no concerns about his overall fitness. He is expected to join full training next week and to be ready to face Crystal Palace.

Gomez, while behind Matip in his recovery from an ankle fracture, remains on schedule and is expected to return around the turn of the month, meaning if needed he could be ready to face Leicester City on January 30th or West Ham on February 4th.

That leaves just one game—this weekend’s match against Brighton—when Klopp and the club expect to be limited to Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho as the centre half selection, and that is why the club remain confident in not needing defensive reinforcements.

While losing Lovren against Wolves in the FA Cup was obviously a blow, given Matip and Gomez remain on schedule for their returns it’s hardly the crisis requiring a bit of panicked transfer spending some fans seem to want it to be.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com