Liverpool Handed Health Boost Ahead Of Merseyside Derby

Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara are back in training after
quarantining for coronavirus

Derby week is here, y’all! While this fixture is always one to
look forward to, I enter derby week with mixed feelings. For one,
Liverpool and Everton
are both in unusual positions. Liverpool are coming off of a
massive defeat to Aston Villa,
while their crosstown rivals are sitting at the top of the table.
On top of that, not only are we scouring reports and training
photos to see who has returned to training from injury, we also
have to see who has recovered from the coronavirus.

Well, on that front, there is some decent news for Liverpool.
Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara have both returned to training
after their quarantine periods after contracting coronavirus,
according to David Mattock of the Mirror.

Those two players should provide a significant boost for
Liverpool. Diogo Jota did a solid job filling in for Mane, but he
does not have the same psychic connection with his strike partners
Roberto Firmino

It is a little more difficult to know if Thiago will feature
from the off. Jurgen Klopp usually gives players time to bed in
before featuring on a regular basis, especially in midfield.
Thiago, however, is not just any player, but a world class player
who can control and dictate the tempo of the game. Still, the
Merseyside derby is usually about blood and thunder rather than a
cultured affair, so the tried and true midfield of Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum, and the recently returned Jordan Henderson may be
preferred.

Xherdan Shaqiri was also cleared to play while
on international duty with Switzerland after an initial positive
test. He could find a place on the bench.

On the negative side, Naby Keita has tested positive for coronavirus, along with
four other players from Guinea. Somehow, during a global pandemic,
the decision to continue on with international breaks still
happened. As usual, money reigns over the health of the players the
game depends upon.