Darwin Nunez Liverpool 2022-23Getty Images

Liverpool sweating on Nunez hamstring injury as Klopp confirms Keita remains out

  • Striker nursing a slight knock
  • Midfielder not yet ready to return
  • Struggling Forest next up for Reds

WHAT HAPPENED? The Reds are readying themselves for a trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, with a chance that they will be without their £64 million ($71m) Uruguayan striker at the City Ground. Nunez has been in decent form of late, registering three goals in his last four appearances, but he will have to pass a late fitness test in order to lead the line again when Liverpool head to Trentside.

WHAT THEY SAID: Klopp told reporters when delivering an update on his squad: "We have to check (Nunez). He had treatment yesterday and we will see what we get told later. No injuries, no comebacks. No injuries but two tough games in short succession and now another coming up. We need to have a closer look at who we can start again, or who can come in to start. It's really close. We only have this session this afternoon. Yesterday was recovery for the boys who played the other night. Today will be the only session we have. I will get further information later today and we will see.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: While waiting to discover whether Nunez will be cleared to line up against Forest, Klopp has confirmed that Naby Keita remains out of contention having struggled with injury and illness since July, despite returning to training. He said of the Guinean midfielder: “Yes (tomorrow is too soon). We can't rush it anyway. It was a tough injury, a serious injury. He's now back but only in parts of training. From Monday on, Naby and Ibou [Ibrahima Konate], if everything goes as planned, will be involved in full team training. That means from there we count days. His football pre-season starts then. He was out for a while, like Ox [Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain] was. Ox was on the bench but I don't think he was ready to play the last game but he's getting close though. He's one or two weeks ahead of Naby which is very helpful for us as well.”

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IN THREE PHOTOS:

darwin nunezgetty images

keitaGetty Images

Jurgen Klopp Liverpool West Ham 2022-23Getty

DID YOU KNOW? Liverpool have failed to win any of their four Premier League away games so far this season (D2 L2) – they last had a longer run without an away win from the start of a campaign in 2006-07 (7).

WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL? Klopp’s men have clambered back into seventh spot in the Premier League table and victory over rock-bottom Forest could see them move to within touching distance of the top four.

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