LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, September 12, 2022: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Roberto Firmino and Luis Díaz during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League Group A matchday 2 game between Liverpool FC and AFC Ajax. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

24-man Liverpool squad train before Wolves as Firmino & Van Dijk take next step

Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk were both pictured outside as Liverpool prepared for this weekend’s Premier League meeting with Wolves on Thursday.

Last week, Jurgen Klopp said he hoped that Firmino, Van Dijk and Diogo Jota would all be able to return to full training in the next couple of weeks.

And though Firmino and Van Dijk were not involved in full training with the rest of their team-mates on Thursday, the fact they were pictured outside may suggest that they have been stepping up their recovery out on the pitches.

Firmino hasn’t been available since Liverpool resumed action after the World Cup, with his muscle injury turning out to be worse than first feared, while Van Dijk has been out since damaging his hamstring at the start of January.

For now, it’s unclear when either will be able to resume full training, but it’s certainly good to see both outside and in good spirits, with both expected to return to action this month.

After watching Liverpool under-21s fall to a 3-2 defeat to Hertha Berlin on Wednesday night, Sir Kenny Dalglish was among those overseeing first team training on Thursday.

In total, 24 Liverpool players were involved in the session, with Calvin Ramsay and Rhys Williams not present having featured in that U21s game the previous evening.

Having missed a number of sessions last week due to a minor injury that stopped him from featuring in the squad to face Brighton, Fabio Carvalho was involved.

Nat Phillips also took part, with Klopp revealing the defender was suffering from “a proper, proper cold” last week.

Had it not been for a hamstring injury to Ibrahima Konate, Phillips may have left the club before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline. Konate, as expected, was not involved in Thursday’s session, with reports suggesting he will be sidelined for up to three weeks.

Ben Doak and Bobby Clark didn’t play for the U21s on Wednesday and weren’t part of first team training on Thursday.

Aside from Firmino, Van Dijk and Jota – Marcelo Pitaluga, Luis Diaz, Arthur and Kaide Gordon also remain out.


Liverpool squad pictured training on Thursday

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, September 12, 2022: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (L) and Fábio Carvalho during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League Group A matchday 2 game between Liverpool FC and AFC Ajax. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Kelleher, Adrian, Mrozek, Ojrzynski

Defenders: Gomez, Matip, Phillips, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Tsimikas

Midfielders: Fabinho, Bajcetic, Henderson, Milner, Thiago, Keita, Elliott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones

Forwards: Salah, Carvalho, Gakpo, Nunez