Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has allayed fears Sadio Mane could miss their Premier League fixture against Arsenal by stating “he looks fine”.
The 29-year-old Senegal international was forced to return to Liverpool from international duty after he picked up a knock during their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying fixture against Togo last Thursday.
He was substituted in the game that ended 1-1 in Lome and Senegal coach Aliou Cisse confirmed later that Mane had been allowed to leave the national squad and travel back to Anfield.
However, Klopp has eased fears over his availability by confirming he had trained with the team ahead of their battle with the Gunners at Anfield on Saturday.
“Sadio is fine – painful but fine. Everybody who had a rib bruise knows it’s an annoying thing. But Sad trained here with us now in all sessions,” Klopp told the club’s official website.
“We took him out a little bit earlier here and there when we knew now it will be full contact, stuff like this, just to give it a bit more time to settle. But he looks fine.”
On the availability of Guinea international Naby Keita, Klopp said: “Naby and James [Milner] are in a good way as well, getting closer.
“Probably next week we expect them being back in team training, let’s see what that means for the Porto game – but not for the weekend, they are not available.”
Mane, who has so far scored eight goals in 15 appearances in all competitions for the Reds, eventually missed Senegal’s final Group H fixture against Congo, which they won 2-0 Stade Lat Dior.
At the end of the game against Togo, Cisse admitted Mane’s withdrawal had affected his team.
"Yes, the exit of Sadio [Mane] has destabilised us. He is an important player for the team, we took him out as a precaution and there is nothing serious," Cisse said.
Mane played a key role in Senegal’s progress to the final play-off round of the World Cup qualifiers after managing to score three goals in five matches.
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