Liverpool News: Benteke knee boost for Chelsea, Howe on Klopp, thumbs up to £28m man

Roberto Firmino is yet to score for Liverpool this season

NEWS NEWS BLOG SPORT brings you all the latest news from Anfield.

Liverpool have been made to sweat over Christian Benteke's fitness after it emerged the striker suffered a medial knee ligament injury last weekend - handing Saturday's opponents Chelsea a minor boost after their League Cup exit last night.
Benteke, 24, had a scan yesterday after reporting the problem during the Reds' 1-1 draw with Southampton.
He is out of their League Cup clash with Bournemouth tonight and is a doubt for the crucial trip to Chelsea this weekend.
Liverpool sit ninth in the Premier League but could be leapfrogged by 15th-place Chelsea if they suffer a heavy defeat at Stamford Bridge.
The injury is another blow to new manager Jurgen Klopp, who already has Joe Gomez and Danny Ings out for the season, while Daniel Sturridge's recovery from a knee problem has also suffered a set-back.

Eddie Howe said he was "saddened" when his friend Brendan Rodgers was sacked by Liverpool as the Merseyside club then went for a foreign manager in Klopp.
Northern Irishman Rodgers was laid off over the international break after three years and no trophies in charge of the club.
And Bournemouth boss Howe admitted Brits are finding it tough to get the top jobs in Premier League management.
"The more foreign managers who come in and do well the tougher it becomes for British guys. The challenge is for us prove we are good enough," he said.

 

"The fact another really good football brain has come into this country is good, new ways of playing should be embraced. Another world-class coach coming in gives it more exposure and makes it tougher.

"Jurgen has a great reputation and has done magical things in his last job. I'm sure Liverpool will hope he can recreate that.

"I was a big admirer of Dortmund, how they played and what he did with the side. It will be intriguing to see what he does with the team and what changes he makes.

"You have got to expect a different team, different way of playing and different set up."

 

In transfer news, Klopp has given the thumbs up to Liverpool's bosses who landed Roberto Firmino in the summer window.

The Reds bought Brazilian Firmino for £28million from Hoffenheim and it took the attacker a few weeks to settle in to Premier League football.

But Klopp insists the best is still to come from his ace, who is yet to score for his new club.

“What kind of player is he?” said Klopp. “He was in the Brazil national team for the last game and I think he played as a number nine, but usually he plays as an offensive midfielder or second striker.

 

“He can come in from the wing. He can play in the centre. He’s a pretty skilled player. I’d say a year ago for a few months for sure he was best player in the Bundesliga.

“From first day everyone could see he can be a very, very good player and when I heard Liverpool took him I thought, ‘Good choice.’

“He needed time when he came in but when he’s in he’s strong with the ball, physically strong, fast in a good football way, and gets his body between opponent and ball.

“So he is an important player for us and I hope he can play.”