KEY POINTS

  • The Liverpool full-back has missed the club's last two games with a rib injury.
  • Matip is at the centre of a club vs country row with Cameroon.
  • Fifa are still to decide whether the player is eligible to play for his club.

Jurgen Klopp is hopeful of having Jordan Henderson and Nathaniel Clyne available for Liverpool's clash with Swansea City but says there have been no new developments regarding Joel Matip.

Liverpool confirmed shortly before last Sunday's draw with Manchester United Clyne was not in the match day squad after suffering a rib/abdominal injury in the EFL Cup semi-final tie with Southampton.

The 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold deputised for the England international that afternoon, retaining his place during the midweek FA Cup third-round replay against Plymouth Argyle.

The former Crystal Palace and Southampton defender is to return to training today, however, along with Henderson.

The club captain returned from a heel injury that saw him miss the opening four games of 2017 against United, but sat out of the 1-0 win at Plymouth.

"Clyney and Hendo were not in team training until now," Klopp told a press conference on Friday, Sky Sports reports. "Clyne should be back today in full team training and he could make it. He's had two running sessions to see if he could cope with the pain.

"Hendo should be ok too. He felt a muscle a little bit more than he used to. But it's still the heel, still about the original injury. That's more the problem still."

Nathaniel Clyne
Nathaniel Clyne is to return to training today after rib injury Getty Images

The club are however still unsure over the eligibility of Matip. The former Schalke defender has this week been the focus of a bizarre and ultimately confusing club versus country row relating to his eligibility for domestic action during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, despite having made himself unavailable for the competition.

Fifa regulations state that players are not permitted to represent their clubs during the period for which they should have been released, but Liverpool are still to be notified whether they are allowed to select their defender.

"No, we don't have an update. Fifa mentioned to us this would be kind of D-Day. It's difficult in this position because there is not a lot of training time. But I had to put me out of this case because I have to be concentrated on other things. But I am informed and there is no news."

Philippe Coutinho meanwhile is in line to start his first Premier League game since the end of November, having come through unscathed in the mid-week FA Cup win.

"You saw it already, in the few minutes he had at the last games. We were happy to have the opportunity at Plymouth to give him 60 minutes.. because even Coutinho can't come back on the pitch at immediately 100%."