Here are your Liverpool evening headlines for Friday, December 23.
Liverpool set to be without seven players for Premier League restart against Aston Villa
Liverpool will be without at least seven senior players for the restart of the Premier League season – with Jurgen Klopp keeping his fingers crossed more are not absent due to the virus sweeping through the club.
James Milner is likely to miss the festive campaign after suffering a hamstring injury during Thursday’s Carabao Cup defeat at Manchester City , a game Roberto Firmino missed after picking up a calf problem during training earlier in the week.
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Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and on-loan Arthur Melo are long-term absentees, and with World Cup finalist Ibrahima Konate and injured Curtis Jones not resuming training until next week, Klopp’s selection options have become limited ahead of the Boxing Day visit to Aston Villa.
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Unai Emery makes confident Aston Villa prediction vs Liverpool
Unai Emery has confidently predicted his Aston Villa side will end his personal winless run against Liverpool on Boxing Day.
The Reds take on Villa in their first Premier League fixture since the World Cup, as they look to climb the table. Jurgen Klopp ’s side are currently in sixth place and seven points adrift of the top four spots with a game in hand.
Liverpool have already resumed their domestic campaign after the World Cup, but are yet to return to Premier League action. The Reds suffered a 3-2 defeat to Manchester City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Thursday night.
Klopp and Emery have been in opposing dugouts on several occasions during the German’s time as Liverpool manager. Emery has been in charge of Sevilla and Arsenal, and more recently Villarreal for the Champions League semi-final last season.
Looking ahead to another meeting against Klopp and Liverpool, Emery has issued a warning to the Reds. The Villa boss, who replaced Steven Gerrard in October, says he believes his side can beat the Reds on Boxing Day.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE .
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