Jurgen Klopp has revealed Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane are both earmarked to return for Liverpool after the November international break.
Lallana (thigh) is yet to make an appearance for the Reds this season after picking up an injury towards the end of pre-season, while Mane (hamstring) has missed the last three games.
The key duo joined Nathaniel Clyne (back) on Liverpool’s list of long-term absentees, with the right-back playing just 45 minutes during pre-season.
Asked as to the timeframe for their recovery, Klopp revealed Lallana and Mane are likely to make their comeback at home to former club Southampton on November 18.
But the German remained alarmingly coy over the fitness of Clyne, whose injury issues have been a mystery so far this season.
“[Recovery is] very good. But no option for tomorrow, no option for Wednesday and no option for West Ham,” he explained on Mane and Lallana.
“After the international break I think Adam and Sadio are back. It will be close.
“Adam was, this week, for the first time a part of the warmup—his face showed how happy we was about this.
“They’re both with fitness coaches on the pitch, doing tactical things, it all looks good.
“But they need to be 100 percent. They aren’t at the moment, but they’re on a good way.”
The return of both Lallana and Mane will be a major boost for the Reds, but the continued absence of Clyne should be a concern, especially given the lack of transparency.
In mid-September, Klopp suggested the 26-year-old was ahead of Lallana in terms of recovery, having “had [his] third or fourth run outside,” but seemingly no progress has been made since.
This does raise questions over Clyne’s continued spell on the sidelines, with the back injury having first been reported back in May.
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