Coutinho Could Return to Light Training Next Week

There is potential good news concerning Philippe Coutinho after Jürgen Klopp confirmed that Liverpool's number ten doesn't need crutches in his recovery from the ankle ligament injury he suffered against Sunderland. There is the possibility that the Brazilian international could return to light training next week.

“It would be cool (if he was available to face City),” Klopp said. “I won’t stop him. In this moment he is improving a lot. He is off his crutches since the West Ham game, when we left the stadium he was walking in front without them.

“We will have to see. No idea at the moment. I never rush a player back. I’m the most patient person in Liverpool. I always wait for someone. I can’t rush it.”

Klopp also confirmed that "there will be no surgery" for Joël Matip who is suffering from pain in his ankle. Instead of going under the knife, the manager raised the issue of "resting the injury or not" in order to help the defender to recover. Matip missed the midweek victory over Middlesbrough but could return for the Merseyside derby on Monday.

“It’s just a case of time,” Klopp explained. “There will be no surgery, there is not even a risk of it. It is only about resting the injury or not. Try it every day or give it a few days. That is what we already did. Against West Ham it was possible to play but then against Middlesbrough it was not.

“For Bournemouth he was involved in the squad and then we made the decision (not to play him). It’s in the moment. It is not perfect because we have no time so you can’t say ‘this game isn’t really important or whatever’.

"The other boys are doing really good but we have to see.”