2022-2023 PL: Bournemouth vs. Liverpool

(The Guardian) Jürgen Klopp has been giving a fitness update on three of his Liverpool players and says Luis Diaz is set to make his long-awaited return to training next week following five months out. The Reds are also without defender Joe Gomez and midfielder Thiago Alcantara for the weekend trip to Bournemouth.

“All three not available [this weekend],” said Kloppo. “Different stages, I would say. Joey might be able to train at the beginning of the week; Luis I hope during next week. After the international break, then obviously for both [it’s] possible. Thiago we will see. None of them trained yet with the team and then we will see how that develops in the next couple of weeks and we will know more. Apart from that, from the last game nothing [new] that I heard about.”

---

Klopp has also spoken about Roberto Firmino’s departure after the Brazilian told the club he intends to leave this summer after eight years at Anfield.

“Surprised? Yes, a little bit but I was not hit by surprise, actually it’s a normal thing to do. It could go two ways and it was one. And I respect that a lot. It’s completely normal in this kind of long relationship that we have and Bobby has with the club and with most of the players and stuff like this, and with the fans of course.

“It’s pretty special and I loved the reception he got when he came on against United. He told me and then the only other thing he said is, ‘Now I want to bring this wonderful story to a positive end.’ So, that’s it. He is completely here and completely committed, how everybody can imagine. And that’s all we need to know.

“There’s no time for a goodbye or whatever in this moment, there’s enough time for that later in the season. Whenever he will come back, everybody knows that the song will still be for a long, long time in everybody’s ears I’m pretty sure.

“No problem. I think he’s one of these players that even when he would come with an opposition team, people would be really happy to see him.”

Well, got back from Sabbath services about an hour, looked at the score....we lost 1-0 to Bournemouth.