Premier League: Jürgen Klopp ‘pretty sure’ Liverpool’s Mané will need surgery

Jürgen Klopp has said he is ‘pretty sure’ Liverpool forward Sadio Mané will undergo knee surgery after he injured his knee in Saturday’s 3-1 win Merseyside Derby win over Everton.

Mané picked up the injury after a collision with Leighton Baines in the second half after putting the Reds 1-0 up inside eight minutes. Any surgery would render Liverpool’s top goalscorer out for the remaining seven games of the season.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Stoke City, boss Jürgen Klopp confirmed to press that the Senegalese international is likely to be operated on.

“We are pretty sure he will need surgery. (We) are not 100% sure when it will happen, but it is clear, his season is over,” said Klopp.

The German continued: “That’s actually what I expected after I saw the video after the game.

“I thought it was lucky in this situation that more didn’t happen, but we are close to the end of the season and that means it will be pretty much impossible that he will play again this season.

“But he will then have a longer break and be ready for next season, so that’s the only good news.”

The summer signing has been in fine form since his £35 million transfer from fellow Premier League side Southampton, notching 13 goals and 6 assists in 27 league matches.

Mané has missed only four games this season, with two of those due to the African Cup of Nations tournament in January, a period in which Liverpool went winless.

Klopp also offered an injury update on Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge and captain Jordan Henderson.

Klopp said: “He (Lallana) is much better, but of course is no option for the weekend, because he is not in training. The problem is in the first few days with this kind of injury, it is a shooting muscle, you use it mainly if you shoot so we’ll need a few more days until we can have him back on the pitch.

“It’s similar to Hendo (Henderson). Hendo is also on a good way, but we don’t know exactly when he can be part of training again.”

Addressing England striker Sturridge’s ongoing fitness battles, Klopp said:”Daniel is part of training, but it was only yesterday and today and we will see. No major issues.”

Winger Phillipe Coutinho was substituted during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Wednesday night after a bout of illness, but Klopp was optimistic about his fitness for the weekend.

“Phil is still ill, he was not at Melwood yesterday and he is not here today. He had a little conversation with the doctor and he feels much better. It doesn’t look too good and we will have to see if we bring him in tomorrow. Stoke is not too far away so we will give him all the time he needs, but it will be really close.”