BANJARMASINPOST.CO.ID – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits there is no chance Diogo Jota or Roberto Firmino will feature against Leeds United on Wednesday and both face an uphill battle to be fit for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
Jota, 25, was withdrawn midway through last week’s clash with Inter Milan in the Champions League with an ankle injury.
According to Mirror Sports Firmino, the 30-year-old came on as his replacement and scored the opener in the Reds’ 2-0 win at the San Siro.
However, the Brazilian picked up a muscle injury ahead of Saturday’s encounter with Norwich City and played no part in the 3-1 Premier League win.
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Neither Jota nor Firmino returned to training in time for the midweek clash against Leeds and Klopp regrets it did not bode well ahead of Sunday’s Wembley clash with Chelsea.
“No chance for tomorrow,” the Liverpool boss told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the pair’s availability.
“Sunday we will see. It would be easier for me to say no now but they are pushing. Not on the pitch for training which doesn’t bode well. We will make a decision in the week.”
If Jota and Firmino fail in their bid to be fit for the weekend, Liverpool will be forced to face Chelsea without their two main options in centre-forward.
The Portuguese coach is the Reds’ second top scorer this season with 17 goals while the latter has eight to his name.
Klopp opted to put Sadio Mane in the middle of a fluid forward line against Norwich, with Mohamed Salah on the right and £50m January signing Luis Diaz on the left.
