Liverpool evening headlines as Brazil coach Tite responds to Jurgen Klopp Fabinho comments

Here are your Liverpool evening headlines for Thursday, October 29.

Fabinho injury still being assessed

Liverpool have not put a timeframe on how long Fabinho will be ruled out for, with the Reds continuing to assess the Brazilian's hamstring after initial scans.

The 27-year-old pulled up during the first half of the Champions League win against Midtjylland on Tuesday night, and a significant spell on the sidelines would be another blow for Jurgen Klopp.

Fabinho was filling in at centre-back following the knee injury suffered by Virgil van Dijk in the Merseyside derby and his absence would leave Klopp with only Joe Gomez and Joel Matip as his senior central defensive options.

The Brazilian’s importance, then, is huge, but the ECHO understands a timeframe for his recovery has not yet been established.

Klopp is expected to provide an update on Fabinho in his pre-match press conference ahead of the weekend’s match against West Ham United.

Tite responds to Klopp jibe

Brazil coach Tite has hit back at Klopp’s questioning of how Fabinho has been used in the national side.

After being asked by a Brazilian journalist for an update on Fabinho’s injury and whether he would be available for the upcoming international break, Klopp suggested Tite is not selecting the defensive midfielder frequently enough for it to matter.

“I'm not sure if Tite's too worried because he plays him never so he will probably now not sit on the bench for the next three international games,” he said “For us, it's obviously a proper blow but for now we don't know.

“Fab was not positive but not too negative as well so we will see, we have to wait for the scan tomorrow morning and then we will know more.”

Tite has since responded to the Reds boss. “Klopp and I have the same thinking and the same scale of values. The health of athletes is essential. It is human,” he told Jovempan .

“The use is secondary, just as sport is secondary when we talk about health, when we talk about people, when we talk about something that is bigger. We have this same idea and way of watching football.”

Update on fans returning to Anfield

Liverpool are ramping up preparations of Anfield in the hope that the Government’s ban on match-going fans will be lifted.

Earlier this week, Manchester United unveiled their plans to make Old Trafford COVID-secure. And now Liverpool have followed suit, bringing forward a range of new policies to make Anfield safe, including the use of digital tickets instead of physical ones.

In a statement, the club said: “It was expected that the opening fixtures of the 2020-21 season would take place behind closed doors until at least October at the earliest, with the likelihood that stadiums would then initially operate at reduced capacity in line with social distancing measures.

“As of the end of September, this plan was postponed due to increasing cases of COVID-19 nationally.

“However, as the situation continues to evolve and remains subject to change, we are continuing to work hard to ensure that when the time is right for spectators to return, we are in the best possible position to welcome fans back to Anfield while ensuring a safe environment for everyone in attendance.

“As such, we are currently working on a number of new processes and systems, which will be introduced in the coming weeks, that will enable us to be properly prepared to welcome fans back to Anfield as safely and efficiently as possible, when government guidelines allow.

“We will provide more information on this and will be contacting fans regarding these upcoming changes in due course. We will continue to keep supporters updated with all 2020-21 season developments and we thank you for your patience and understanding.”