Press conferenceInjury news: Latest on Konate, Gravenberch, Clark, Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Jota and Bajcetic

Konate has been absent from the Reds’ last two games after being forced off during the 5-1 victory over Sparta Prague in the first leg of the Europa League last-16 tie and, on Friday afternoon, Jürgen Klopp said he expects to again be without the centre-back this weekend.

However, midfield duo Gravenberch – who has not played since sustaining an injury in the Carabao Cup final – and Clark, who picked up a knock in Thursday’s return match against Sparta, are ready for the clash with United, along with Mohamed Salah.

“Mo is definitely ready. Ibou didn’t train today, we have to see if he can train tomorrow but it will be a tight, tight race which we will probably lose, but we don’t know,” Klopp told the media.

“Bobby felt much better. That was uncomfortable, he got a knock there, a little swelling and that’s why [we had] the feeling that it might be something more serious but it’s not, so he’s fine.

“Ryan trained today again, so he’s ready. And the others, some of the others, [will return] after the international break.”

Klopp was later asked which of Liverpool’s group of injured senior players have a chance of being able to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Reds’ first match after the upcoming international break.

The manager replied: “Curtis [Jones], and I think the other two, Diogo [Jota] and Trent [Alexander-Arnold], for the week after. A chance.”

Klopp also provided an update on Stefan Bajcetic, who has been sidelined for the majority of this season.

“Stefan is pretty much now in his pre-season to make him physically ready,” he said.

“So, in the moment he feels something, it’s not an injury, it’s intensity. He’s a young lad so we just have to make sure that we don’t use him before he is really ready because what happened before was that the body was not 100 per cent ready for the intensity that professional football is asking for.

“He is much better, he is in a much better place now. He had a long time, unfortunately, to improve that but that’s where we now have to wait a little bit. But he is in his pre-season and I think he will be part of team training as well after the international break.”