The young striker could still appear in a Red shirt before the season’s end
After such a resounding win over city rivals Everton on Wednesday, it would have have been difficult to find any negatives from the performance or the result. However, the injury to young striker Divock Origi was a real downside, with reports today suggesting he is likely to miss the whole remainder of the season.
But Jurgen Klopp, as ever, has been on hand this afternoon to make us all feel better after his pre-Newcastle press conference suggested that Origi could still have some part to play before the season’s end.
Speaking to the press today (via Liverpoolfc.com), Klopp said: “I don’t want to really answer on this question, but I can of course – it’s an injury and it’s serious.
“We will try everything, everything, [to make sure] the season is not over without taking any risks for the player. That’s how it is.
“I am long enough in this business to know we are all different, all individuals, so we don’t have to say any general things. We only have to work with him and then we will see what happens. It is the same with Emre Can and so on.
“As I said, we are all individuals. A long time ago, I had an ACL [injury] and played after four months, and nobody could believe it worked but I didn’t have a problem with it.
“Why should we say now his season is over when we still believe a little bit there can be a few games for him? We have to see.”
You have to love the manager’s sunny disposition but his track-record in managing players back from injury shows that this could yet be the case. Not many among Liverpool’s fanbase would’ve suggested that Daniel Sturridge would now be set to play more than 25 games this season after what he’s been through.
And more good news is that Sturridge won’t be the only man to take that burden on, as Klopp gave an update on the fitness of Christian Benteke. He continued: “The good news is Christian feels good. He hasn’t trained with the team until now but he wants to. It’s always the same and I understand your point of view when you say he is back and let him play, but it doesn’t work like this even when the player wants it.
“If we have to then we have to, but hopefully we can give him a few more days. I haven’t made the line-up for tomorrow and I haven’t made the squad, but hopefully we can give him a few more sessions.
“After this game, there will still hopefully be seven to go and there’s enough time, and it would be great if he could be ready. Sometimes when one door closes, another opens.
“It’s how I said, he’s had no team training and that’s for sure what he needs before he should play and especially before he should start.”
