01 April 2023 , 11:18
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Jurgen Klopp confirmed Darwin Nunez had a slight injury problem ahead of Liverpool's game against Manchester City on Saturday.
Klopp surprised Liverpool fans by naming Nunez on the Etihad bench, with Diogo Jota joining Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo in attack. There was also a big omission from City's squad, as Erling Haaland was not included after failing recover from injury.
The Norwegian missed the recent international fixtures with a groin complaint and was touch and go for Saturday afternoon's game. Frustratingly for City boss Pep Guardiola, he did not pass a fitness test. Yet the Liverpool manager was prepared for all eventualities.
Klopp made two plans for Saturday's game: one to face Haaland, and one of to face his understudy Julian Alvarez. Yet the German believes City are just as dangerous without their talisman. He told BT Sport, "Yes [we prepare for situations], but it’s not like this.
"Last moment is really when Haaland gets involved, but all the other moments are quite similar. I didn’t see the line-up before I came out but well, who else is not in the team?"
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After being told Phil Foden is involved, Klopp replied, "Oh I know. It’s not like they don’t have a striker with speed and stuff like this so balls in behind, this is the same.
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"The main thing against City is obviously to cut off the passing options between the lines, so that is a massive challenge. When they find [Kevin] de Bruyne, they find [Ilkay] Gundogan, find Bernardo Silva, Rodri, these kind of things.
"When Rodri is on the ball in the first moment is not dangerous, but two seconds later will be dangerous, so things like this. When we defend more often they will go long, or switch the sides, for this we are prepared for then last moment really is where Erling comes in, but so, now he’s not in, we cannot train that, especially not after international duty.
"We’ve had exactly only one session with all the boys together - yesterday - but City are the same so that's fine."
Saturday's game is a must-win for both teams, who are fighting to for very different objectives in the Premier League.
Liverpool are sixth in the table - seven points behind Tottenham in fourth - and can't afford to lose in their pursuit of a Champions League spot. City are eight points leaders Arsenal with a game in hand, as they aim to win the Treble - the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season - for the very first time.
On Nunez's injury, Klopp explained, "Darwin had a little problem, came back from that, didn’t go to the internationals, we had but big discussions and stuff like this because he had a big cut here - on his foot - so it was pretty uncomfortable.
"We knew it would be fine after the weekend so he couldn't train for the first two days but he’s now back in training, so that’s why we switched him out from the start."