‘In this moment’ - Jurgen Klopp unsure if fourth Liverpool star can play before World Cup

Jurgen Klopp is not certain if Naby Keita will play for Liverpool before the season breaks for the World Cup.

The midfielder hasn’t featured for the Reds since the Community Shield victory of Manchester City at the end of July.

Keita was ill before suffering a muscle injury which has sidelined him since. The Guinea international is back in training but Liverpool now need to build up his fitness.

Klopp didn’t rule out Keita featuring in the Reds’ remaining five games ahead of the World Cup - but wasn’t overconfident, either.

The Liverpool manager said: “Naby is still in a long rehab phrase. It will be tight (if Keita can contribute before the break).

“I think Naby will have a full pre-season with us in December. That will be perfect for him. Even if he can be fully fit before, he comes then out of rehab and we have five games.

“I wouldn’t rule him out for one or two of them but, in this moment, he still has a gap to fill.”