Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita has withdrawn from international duty due to injury.
The 27-year-old was called up to the Guinea squad for forthcoming matches against South Africa and Zambia.
However, captain Keita has now withdrawn from Kaba Diawara’s group for that friendly double-header due to a knee complaint.
He will instead stay behind for further assessment at Kirkby ahead of title contenders Liverpool’s return to Premier League action against Watford at Anfield on April 2.
Keita started for Jurgen Klopp’s quadruple-chasers during Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final tie against Championship outfit Nottingham Forest.
He was replaced by Reds captain Jordan Henderson with 25 minutes remaining at the City Ground as Diogo Jota’s late goal sealed a last-four date with rivals Manchester City at Wembley on April 16.
Keita - a then club-record arrival from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig in 2017 - has made 25 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool so far this term, scoring three goals.
He is the second of Klopp’s players to pull out of international call-ups due to injury in recent days, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also withdrawing from the England squad for Wembley friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast due to a hamstring issue that is set to keep him sidelined for several weeks.
