Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has confirmed that Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley are due to return to team training on Friday and could be in contention to face Manchester United in Sunday's Premier League clash.
Neither defender has featured for the Reds since picking up injuries in the 2-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid in late November, missing their team's last eight matches across all competitions.
Bradley, whose performance against Kylian Mbappe in that European encounter earned him numerous plaudits, sustained a hamstring injury, while Konate hurt his knee towards the end of the match.
However, speaking to reporters in his pre-game press conference, Slot confirmed that the defensive duo are expected to train with the team on Friday, a particularly timely fillip after Joe Gomez's recent blow.
Gomez came off with a hamstring problem of his own in the 5-0 win over West Ham United on December 29, which Slot conceded at the time was moderately severe, and the Englishman should not be seen for at least a month.
Slot confirms Konate, Bradley training plan before Man United
© Imago
"Joe is not in a good place when it comes to his injury, he's out for a few weeks, that's for sure," Slot confirmed. "Conor and Ibou will train with us today for the first time.
"Curious and interested to see where they exactly are. They've worked hard to come back to the team but the next step is always how do you handle team sessions?"
Asked if the rest of his squad was in good nick, the Dutchman added: "They still have to come in, but we trained yesterday and I assume everybody's fit, although we're in a period of time where everybody gets sick as well! Nothing heard about that yet, so hopefully everybody's ready, except for Joe Gomez."
As well as Konate and Bradley's potential returns, Liverpool will also have Dominik Szoboszlai back in the fold after the Hungarian playmaker served a one-game ban for picking up five yellow cards last time out.
Should Konate not be passed fit, Jarell Quansah is expected to deputise in the backline, while Trent Alexander-Arnold will no doubt hold his place over Bradley following reports of Real Madrid making their first approach for the right-back.
Slot: 'Trent working his arse off amid Real Madrid talk'
© Imago
The 26-year-old is free to enter into pre-contract discussions with Los Blancos after entering the last six months of his contract, and he has apparently issued two demands to Liverpool if he is to extend his terms.
Slot faces weekly questions about the situations of Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, but he remained as coy as ever when asked about the former, saying: "I can tell you that he's playing on Sunday.
"And hopefully he brings the same performance he brought for the first half of the season. I see him on the training ground every day working his arse off, so he's fully committed to us. He will play on Sunday, if they don't tell me he's sick, but I don't expect them to!"
Liverpool host Man United holding a 23-point advantage over their long-time rivals in the Premier League table, as well as sitting six points clear of Arsenal with a game in hand on the second-placed Gunners.
The Reds eased to a 3-0 win at Old Trafford in September, and Slot could now become just the second Liverpool head coach to do the double over Man United in his first top-flight season after George Kay 88 years ago.
Ben Knapton
