Liverpool gets a boost from Fabinho with a hamstring injury not as serious as initially feared

Jurgen Klopp has been offered a glimmer of hope in his current injury nightmare with the news that Fabinho’s injury is not as serious as initially feared.

The versatile Brazilian international underwent a scan on Wednesday morning after limping out of the Champions League game against Midtjylland with what appeared to be a severe hamstring injury.

A third-degree tear would rule out the midfielder for up to six months and would be a hammer blow for Klopp, who no longer has Virgil van Dijk.

But scans show he’s not that serious, and just a grade one or two, meaning he could be back immediately after the next international break.

Such is the congestion of the match list, which would mean the Brazilian could still miss at least three games, and big ones too, with the Reds taking on West Ham and Manchester City in the Premier League and a visit from the Champions League. Atalanta in the middle. .

Klopp has few options for West Ham’s visit to Anfield on Saturday, and the manager revealed that Joel Matip can’t take a chance for the game, after returning to light training this week.

But he hinted that the great defender could return next week, easing his concerns.

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He does have Jordan Henderson available though, despite his substitution at half time during the Midtjylland game, and the captain has covered in the middle half before.

The Reds coach also has three inexperienced defenders on his team, with 19-year-old Rhys Williams performing admirably as Fabinho’s replacement on Tuesday night.

Klopp greeted the youngster, who has never appeared in the Premier League with Liverpool, and his teammates were quick to give him a new nickname, with Andy Robertson, Diogo Jota and Xherdan Shaqiri praising the “big man” on social media. posts.

The coach, however, hinted that more experienced defender Nathaniel Phillips could play a role on Saturday against the Hammers, after the 23-year-old spent a season on loan in the Bundesliga.