Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders says the club will closely monitor the fitness of Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah, and Dominik Szoboszlai in the lead-up to the Carabao Cup final.
The trio’s physical condition will be under scrutiny as the team prepares for the crucial encounter, highlighting the importance of their potential involvement in the upcoming match.
Nunez and Salah were absent during the 4-1 victory over Luton Town, and Szoboszlai has been sidelined throughout the month due to a hamstring injury.
Ahead of the Wembley showdown with Chelsea, Liverpool face additional challenges with key players unavailable.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones, and Diogo Jota have all been ruled out, posing a considerable test for Jürgen Klopp’s squad depth as they aim for success in the Carabao Cup final.
Lijnders told Liverpoolfc.com on Friday: “We come in a crazy schedule again, so we play every three days. It’s important for us to use each minute, use each day to really look how the players are. This is for Mo, Dom and Darwin.
“Two training sessions to go, let’s see how they are and then we can make a decision in the last minute.
“And all the others, we know it’s longer. Ali has a muscle injury. Trent, LCL. Jota, medial ligament, MCL. Curtis [has] a high ankle sprain. They will be longer out.
“Curtis is probably the first one [to come back] around the international break. All the others will be after the international break.”
Asked if there were any knocks picked up against Luton, Lijnders replied: “So far I know not.
“All the boys had a day off yesterday but for us a day off means that they come in and they have treatment and, of course, we have to prepare the final.
“But for the boys it’s proper recovery, so they all feel the necessity to use [it] in these moments where you play every three days and where certain boys have to play more because of the injuries.
“So, they are treating their body well, they are trying everything to be fresh, to be fit. But you know with our style, how we play, it’s important. You have to respect the recovery as much as you respect the performance.”
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