Klopp hopeful on Lallana and Firmino

Peter Hanson

Klopp hopeful on Lallana and Firmino image

Jurgen Klopp is hopeful that key duo Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino will be involved in Liverpool's Premier League clash at Bournemouth on Sunday.

Lallana has missed Liverpool's last three matches with a groin injury sustained on international duty with England last month, while Firmino was absent for Tuesday's EFL Cup win over Leeds United after picking up a knock against Sunderland last weekend.

However, midfielder Lallana returned to training on Thursday and Firmino also came through unscathed during the session.

"[There will] probably be a few changes," Klopp told a pre-match news conference. "Yes, I'm happy, Adam is training since Thursday.

"He looks good. We have to see how he reacts to the training."

On Firmino he added: "It's painful, but he's fine. He came through the session [on Thursday] and we will see how he reacts."

Liverpool last lost a competitive fixture against Burnley in August and have gone 15 matches unbeaten - a run that has helped them to second place in the table.

The Reds' next three matches are against Bournemouth, West Ham and Middlesbrough, who are all in the bottom half of the league.

But Klopp says there is no such thing as a favourable run, adding: "Up until now everything is okay. [But] it’s not about Bournemouth, West Ham and Middlesbrough.

"No doubt, Bournemouth are doing well, they were unlucky last week [in a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal]. They could’ve had a penalty. West Ham have a lot of quality.

"Middlesbrough away, everybody until now had their problems there. I can't see it as an easy journey. The good thing is I have to think about Bournemouth, they did well, they're a football-playing side.

"Eddie Howe is doing a fantastic job there. They have the pressure, which we all have, to win games. They know about the difficulty of the league.

"They're confident enough to cause us problems. We have to find solutions to these problems. We have tried to do this since Tuesday."

Peter Hanson