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Pep Lijnders outlines Liverpool's treatment of Thiago's COVID case

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has been explaining Liverpool's treatment of Thiago Alca...



Pep Lijnders outlines Liverpoo...
Soccer

Pep Lijnders outlines Liverpool's treatment of Thiago's COVID case

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has been explaining Liverpool's treatment of Thiago Alcantara's positive coronavirus test. 

The club revealed on Tuesday evening that the 29-year old had tested positive in the latest round of Premier League screening.

Along with the West Ham trio of Josh Cullen, Issa Diop and manager David Moyes, Thiago was the fourth public case of the ten confirmed positives by the Premier League.

Now in a period of isolation, the midfielder will miss Thursday's Carabao Cup 4th round match with Arsenal and Sunday's Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

Speaking ahead of that Arsenal game, Lijnders wished Thiago a "speedy recovery", adding, "Health and family are the most important things in life, after comes football.

"We wish him a speedy recovery, but I wish everyone who is fighting this virus a speedy recovery and hope everything goes well.

"We decided from the start of the pandemic that we will not make any comments about individuals or their situation, so we'll keep it like this as a club."

Lijnders praised the medical structures in place at the club when asked if he was confident nobody else had contracted the virus, saying they also provide private testing.

"The most important thing is keeping discipline and we test immediately when something happens," Klopp's assistant said, "It is all okay."

Liverpool will be without captain Jordan Henderson, Joel Matip and Kostas Tsimikas for Arsenal's second visit of the week to Anfield.

Henderson hasn't played since being withdrawn at half-time of the champions' 2-0 win at Chelsea when he was replaced by Thiago.

"Jordan, we will re-evaluate on Friday after this game to see if he can be ready for Aston Villa," Lijnders revealed.

"Joel is the same as what I said last week, he will be ready [after] the international break and use the time to prepare the Everton game.

"Ox is progressing well. He's in a good way and it's really important for him that this first phase goes smooth. But, of course, that takes a much longer time.

"We have Kostas, who after the Lincoln game had a thigh problem. We thought it would settle, it didn't, so he will need more time. He will not be involved on Thursday and also not on Sunday."

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Read more about

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Arsenal Coronavirus Covid-19 Joel Matip Jordan Henderson Kostas Tsimikas Liverpool Thiago Thiago Alcantara