Both Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic are sidelined with frustrating injuries and Jurgen Klopp has offered an update on their progress.
The Spanish midfield pair have gone through a testing period in fitness this season, with Thiago completely out with a hip injury, while Bajcetic has played just 72 minutes of football due to an ongoing adductor problem.
When asked if any of the players had any hope of returning in January, the manager was optimistic and kept his cards close to his chest regarding the details.
“I’m not 100 percent sure, I think Thiago will be training with the team at some point,” Klopp said in his pre-Newcastle press conference.
“With Stefan, if you ask him, ‘How do you feel?’ he says, ‘okay’ and ‘could you train?’ and yes, it could.
“But we have to be sensible, that’s how things are. It’s a growing problem, it’s not growing, but because of his growth and this age, we have to be careful.
“I could train fully today and tomorrow too and then not for four or five weeks, it is a medical decision. It’s not because of the boy, it’s because of me, it’s just that this is how you have to do it if something like this happens.
“That makes it very upsetting for the child.”
Both Thiago and Bajcetic were included in the 32-man squad that traveled to Germany in pre-season, but have since experienced further setbacks on their path to a full recovery.
The latter has only made two appearances so far in 2023/24 and looks unlikely to play a major role for the rest of the campaign, having enjoyed a breakthrough in the previous season.
The caution Liverpool are exercising with the teenager could well be to try to avoid long-term complications by being overplayed, and Barcelona’s Pedri is an example of what can happen given the series of injuries he has experienced at just 21 years old.
Thiago, on the other hand, has not played since April due to a recurring hip flexor problem, but the Liverpool boss insists the 32-year-old is in a “good place” with his fitness.
“Thiago is also in a very good moment, we just have to make sure we don’t use him too soon,” he continued.
“The hip, in and around that area, is also a long-term thing. There were days where he could have easily trained, but it’s all about how he can come back in the long run.
“That’s what we’re working on.”
