LIVE PRESS CONFERENCE -Liverpool team news, Nunez and Alexander-Arnold injury latest

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp speaks to the media ahead of the clash with Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp speaks to the media ahead of his side’s clash at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday.

Club football is back after a two-week break for the September internationals. And Liverpool will be hoping to continue their encouraging start to the season.

After winning three and drawing one of their opening four games, the Reds will also be looking to seek revenge over Wolves after their torrid display at Molineux back in February.

A lot has changed since then with Liverpool completely rebuilding their midfield and Gary O’Neil replacing Julen Lopetegui in the dugout at Wolves, who lost a number of key players during the summer.

Klopp is likely to field questions on the fitness of Ibrahima Konate, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara and Darwin Nunez, who has had some “muscle problems” according to his Uruguay national team boss Marcelo Bielsa.

The Reds boss could also be asked about his suspended captain Virgil van Dijk, who has seen his one-game extended by the FA, and star forward Mohamed Salah, who has remained at Anfield despite interest from Saudi Arabia.

The press conference gets underway at 12:15pm.

Trent Alexander-Arnold ruled out of Liverpool trip as Jurgen Klopp responds to Darwin Nunez injury fears

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thiago Alcantara will both miss Liverpool’s trip to Wolves on Saturday, but Ibrahima Konate is available again for selection.

The right-back withdrew from the England squad for the September international break after limping off with a hamstring injury in the Reds’ 3-0 victory over Aston Villa, while the Spaniard hasn’t played since April after undergoing hip surgery. Meanwhile, Konate missed Liverpool’s victories over Newcastle and Villa with a muscle injury, which forced him to withdraw from the France squad.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Wolves, Jurgen Klopp confirmed that Konate is available after returning to training earlier this week. However, Alexander-Arnold and Thiago both remain sidelined, with the German hoping that the former can step up his recovery next week.

“No concern, he is not available. We knew that before,” Klopp told reporters when asked if Alexander-Arnold was available

That’s all!

That concludes Jurgen Klopp’s press conference

12:34STEPHEN KILLEN

On early kick-off after international break

Jurgen Klopp: “It’s not a problem if you have a normal week. It’s easy to adapt, the only problem is lack of recovery time. We have international breaks, two with 12.30pm kick-offs. If I say anything, the world says he is moaning again.”

On formation without Trent

Jurgen Klopp: “We have to be flexible. If you watch the game against Villa, Trent was not fixed in a midfield role. It must be fine, it will be fine. We must adapt to the different skillset of the player.”

On squad fitness

Jurgen Klopp: “Thiago is running that is it, Ibou trained two days, who else? I didn’t see him yet (Nunez), we had contact but he is fine but there will be decisions. He trains the full week with us (Quansah), Stefan had a good time with the U21s but I think that’s it. I don’t think I forgot anybody otherwise that would be bad.”

“We want to become a new team and not the replica of the old”

Jurgen Klopp: “I really liked the Aston Villa game. Days after the window closed and everyone says ‘ah they should have [signed more]’ that we had this game. It’s not that we’ve built a team now, we are in that process.

“Winning with 10 helps create the spirit and mentality if we use it. It’s still early days, I’m happy with the basis we can work on. I really, really love this team, it’s early days.

“Let’s go for it and we will see, we changed a few things, brought in new players. This is not year eight because in October I’m here eight years, this is year one and I am fully in. We brought in some guys to give interesting insight into our lives. We want to become a new team and not the replica of the old.

On last season

Jurgen Klopp: “We had a lot of low points.”

On Ryan Gravenberch qualities

Jurgen Klopp: “The package is really interesting. He’s good in small spaces, he’s good in big spaces as well. He can accelerate. He has a good overview. Good passer, good shooter. Full week training now. He’s working extremely hard, he only arrived yesterday but with Cody, Virgil and the age group, he’s a good guy with massive potential. He has to fit in, he will, how long it will take, I don’t know. We will work on that, I’m happy he is and we can start that.”

On Jordan Henderson interview

Jurgen Klopp: “I didn’t read interview at first, then read it so I can make my own opinion, Hendo said the truth. That’s how it was. We had talks, I told him I wanted him to stay but we talked about maybe not playing regularly.

“I cannot tell a player they can have 50 games because I don’t know that. In our relationship, I thought it was important we speak about ‘what happens if’. Hendo, I love him but he was not great when they didn’t play, Milner and Lucas were the same. So we talk about that now.

“So in Hendo’s ears and mind, he thought I didn’t want him there. If I said Hendo would be the main man for me he would stay but I couldn’t. That’s why it’s better he moved on. Not a bit of bad blood. Captain of best LFC team in PL era.”

Klopp on Wolves

Jurgen Klopp: “Premier League is Premier League. Is there any away ground you like to go? There is none. Manager didn’t want Nunes to go late in the window. They lost a few key players but it’s still a really good football team.”

“I love working with them”

Jurgen Klopp confirms he has yet to see Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister after international duty.

Mac Allister landed at 4am, Luis Diaz at 9am.

Klopp: “We would’ve loved to have carried on after Villa. Mac Allister played in Bolivia 30 hours ago, so let’s see where we can pick up. Not seen the players yet but we can make decisions about tomorrow. The potential they have is really good. I love working with them.”

On midfield options

Jurgen Klopp: “I am happy, I was happy with the midfield over the years. Real men grew into it from younger players. Most successful players we had since I’ve been here and it is a big task to replace these guys but I am happy with what we’ve got.

On Mohamed Salah’s future

Jurgen Klopp: “A week after it closed you ask me about the January transfer window. You can’t wait until December to ask these questions, I’m not worried about and wasn’t until you opened the wound again. I’m not worried.”

On Ryan Gravenberch

Jurgen Klopp: “He’s a player at a new club so he’s had training sessions here. We have games every 3 days now so he knows where he will live, he has a car and he has organised everything around that. I understand the Dutch were not happy but he used the break to fix a lot.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold is out

Klopp: “He is not available. We knew that before. He didn’t train with the team. It’s not the worst hamstring injury but it’s a hamstring injury. We hope he can start, because he’s running already, ball work early next week.”

Theo, like everyone, is delighted to be back

Cloudy in Kirkby.

Not to fear because Liverpool are back in action in a little over 24 hours.

12:10STEPHEN KILLEN

Wolves vs Liverpool: Match odds

Wolves – 5/1

Draw – 4/1

Liverpool – 9/20

Selection dilemma

Former Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant thinks he has the solution.

He told OLBG: “I don’t think Gakpo has started the season very well. If I were in charge, I’d go for Diaz on the left, Salah on the right, and Darwin in the middle.

“You don’t know what you’re going to get with him! You can get the Darwin we saw at Newcastle, or you can get the Darwin who misses a lot of chances. He’s looking a lot more confident now, though.

“That Newcastle game did him a world of good. I’d say that would be my front three.”

Liverpool forward Darwin Núñe