Jota in contention for Merseyside derby but Thiago an injury doubt

Diogo Jota could make his first appearance for Liverpool since mid-October on Monday when the Reds host Everton in the Merseyside derby, but Thiago Alcantara may miss out.

Thiago has suffered a hip flexor injury, according to manager Jurgen Klopp, and the Spanish midfielder has not trained this week as a result.

Jota was taken from the field on a stretcher with a calf injury in stoppage time of Liverpool's 1-0 win against Manchester City almost four months ago, but returned to full training earlier this week and Klopp confirmed at a press conference on Friday that the 26-year-old is "in contention" to make the squad on Monday.

The former Wolves striker was pictured in training along with three other players back from injuries in Roberto Firmino, Virgil van Dijk and Arthur Melo.

"I don't know, we have to see how that looks, how [they deal] with training intensity and we'll make a decision," Klopp said regarding Firmino and Arthur, while adding about Van Dijk: "I don't think [he] is that close [to playing]."

Getting players back will be a much-needed boost for Klopp, whose team are on one of their worst runs in recent memory, winning just one of their seven games in 2023 (D2, L4).

Liverpool face an Everton side fresh off the appointment of manager Sean Dyche at Goodison Park and an impressive 1-0 win against Premier League leaders Arsenal, and Klopp is in no doubt as to the size of the task on Monday.

"Intensity is always important," he said. "We know it's a difficult game, Sean Dyche is now there and made a massive impact immediately, it was obvious. We have to prepare and that is what we will do."

Klopp refused to discuss the Premier League's decision to refer Manchester City to an independent commission for alleged breaches of financial regulations, and just wants his team to focus on getting their own season back on track.

"This is not a time we wanted to have or are we are happy to be in, but I think it's a time that we can show if we want to show that the club is really special," he said. 

"The boys delivered a lot of great moments in the last few years, not all of them at the moment for different reasons are clear, but we are fighting to change the situation, but I really believe that the better you behave in your lower moments, the quicker you get in the better moments again."