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Jurgen Klopp is reluctant to rush Thiago Alcantara out of injury, but hinted that Fabinho could show up when Liverpool entertain Leicester.
Thiago has not played for the Reds since a 2-2 draw with Everton in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on October 17.
The Spanish international was caught off guard by Richarlison’s high tackle for a foul that saw the Brazilian striker get a direct red card.
Thiago completed the game but has not appeared for the Reds since, missing six games so far.
The midfielder is also likely to be left out of the meeting with the league leaders at Anfield on Sunday.
Klopp said the former Bayern Munich star did not suffer a setback in his rehabilitation from the initial injury from Richarlison’s challenge, but suggested he is unlikely to play against Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes.
“[His absence] it’s a consequence of the injury, “Klopp said.” It was a blow, a straight kick to the knee, so it is a consequence of the injury.
“Are people desperate to see it? Me too, but I can’t change these things.
“We have to deal with the consequences of injuries and accidents, fouls, whatever.
“In this game there were fouls, hard fouls and if he had been able to play earlier, he would have, but he couldn’t.
“He’s on the field, running, all that. It won’t be too much anymore.
“On the same day we had the horrible [scan] photos of Virgil and then we were relieved it wasn’t so serious for Thiago, but it was always clear that it wouldn’t be a few days.
“In the early days we thought it would be resolved quickly, but it didn’t. So that is what you have to accept and we do not rush.
“We prepare him for the rest of the season, not for the first game that he can play again, so that’s the situation.”
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Thiago has yet to return to full training with the rest of his teammates as they have been put to the test at the club’s new AXA Training Center in Kirkby this week.
Klopp, however, offered a more encouraging update on Fabinho, who has been out of action since sustaining a hamstring injury against Midtjylland in the Champions League on October 27.
The Reds boss added: “Players should train in big team sessions not just once. [before they are considered].
“If it was really serious and we didn’t have other players, maybe a session has to be enough every now and then.
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“It hasn’t happened too often, I don’t remember when it happened the last time.
“Usually, like I say, we don’t prepare players for just one game, so that means they have to be part of [full training].
“Fabinho was part of that. What we do with that we will see because I still don’t know how he reacts and all that, but Fabinho was part of the normal training of the team.”
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