LEIPZIG, GERMANY - Thursday, July 21, 2022: Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas during a pre-season friendly match between RB Leipzig and Liverpool FC at the Red Bull Arena. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Klopp reveals Kostas Tsimikas knock – 7 injuries ahead of Man City clash

There was one new absentee as Liverpool took on Salzburg on Wednesday, with a knock for Kostas Tsimikas seeing him join the six other players currently out.

The Reds played out a productive 90 minutes in Austria as, despite the 1-0 loss on the scoreboard, they ended their training camp looking hungry and sharp.

A heavily changed side lined up at the Red Bull Arena ahead of kickoff, with James Milner filling in at left-back as Andy Robertson prepared to come on at the break.

Conspicuous in his absence was Tsimikas, the only player left out who had not already been confirmed as injured.

The Greek took part in training in the buildup but, as Jurgen Klopp revealed in his pre-match interview with LFCTV, was then left out against Salzburg due to a fitness issue.

“He got a knock yesterday, so he cannot play today,” he explained, with the injury described as a sore knee.

“All the rest, we’ll see later.”

This would suggest that Tsimikas could now miss the Community Shield clash with Man City, with doubts over six others ahead of the trip to the King Power on Saturday.

SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - Wednesday, July 27, 2022: Liverpool players line-up for a team group photograph before a pre-season friendly between FC Red Bull Salzburg and Liverpool FC at the Red Bull Arena. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Alisson was with the group in Salzburg but it remains unclear whether he will be passed fit, with Caoimhin Kelleher, Calvin Ramsay, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Diogo Jota and Kaide Gordon also sidelined.

There is still a strong squad available to Klopp, however, and he explained how Liverpool’s fitness staff have prepared them throughout their time in Austria.

“We did what we wanted to do, on and off the pitch, absolutely fine,” he said.

“We set up the Leipzig game as ‘the real work starts now’.

“Here we are, today we play after full training yesterday, two sessions, because we have a game at the weekend as well.

“We cannot forget that completely, but we have to ignore it kind of as well because we prepare for the full season.

SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - Wednesday, July 27, 2022: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp waves to supporters after a pre-season friendly between FC Red Bull Salzburg and Liverpool FC at the Red Bull Arena. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“So it’s a tricky challenge, but we are used to it. I think the boys have to fight tonight, have to fight through it.

“We have to share game time, of course, because of the Saturday game.”

The majority of the fringe figures and youngsters to start on Wednesday start were given an hour on the pitch, though Milner, Naby Keita and Darwin Nunez only played 45 minutes.

Eight more came on in the second half, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz all now expected to start against Man City along with Andy Robertson and Roberto Firmino.