Liverpool could be without Mohamed Salah on Sunday.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had previously claimed that it would be touch-and-go for Mohamed Salah.
The King had previously sat out of the 6-0 hammering of Blackburn Rovers as Klopp put the lads through a friendly in order to get them ready for the resumption of the Premier League.
Getting the first team up to speed is a finely balanced task. Liverpool don’t want to work them too hard in case they break down in training, while being too relaxed runs the risk of injuries during games.
The Reds are kicking things off in the most intense way possible: a Merseyside derby. Everyone will want to play this game, which will always be a volcanic fixture.
Everton will be licking their wounds following two humiliating losses earlier in the season. They will view this as a chance to get one over Liverpool and break their horrendous Merseyside duck.
Mohamed Salah may have just made their task easier.
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According to an exclusive interview with Football Insider, Danny Mills thinks that Klopp will leave the talismanic forward out of the side as a precaution.
"Mills said: “There’s no point in rushing him back in any way, shape, or form. It’s just daft and completely unnecessary. If he’s not quite ready for whatever reason, then you just wait.”"
The former Leeds United defender continued to say that there was little chance of Everton upsetting the odds on Sunday.
"“Liverpool have lost two games in two seasons – that’s it. They’ve been absolutely incredible in that period. Are they going to lose nine in a row? No, they’re not.”"
The German manager wouldn’t say whether or not Salah would be involved on Sunday, and that must mean the Anfield medical staff are being careful with his little niggle.
That has led Mills to believe it would be silly and pointless to rush the Egyptian back for the Everton game and risk him for the rest of the season.
Liverpool will be short without the King. Xherdan Shaqiri may not be fit, and hasn’t laced his boots up in donkey’s years, while Takumi Minamino isn’t a natural on the right and Harvey Elliott may not be ready for the Goodison Park derby.
We’ve seen that Klopp isn’t afraid to leave Salah out for games against Everton – will this be another one of those occasions?