Liverpool receive Cody Gakpo boost as Andrew Robertson set for lengthy absence
- Cody Gakpo returned to Liverpool training on Thursday
- Andrew Robertson still sidelined with shoulder injury
- Left-back could be set for lengthy absence if surgery needed
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo returned to training on Thursday following his recent knee injury, raising the possibility he could be involved in the Merseyside derby on Saturday.
Gakpo was withdrawn at half-time of the controversial Premier League defeat to Tottenham last month and sat out the subsequent games against Union Saint-Gilloise and Brighton & Hove Albion as a result. But after the international break was always earmarked for a potential return.
Speaking in early October, Jurgen Klopp had said: "There is a good chance [that Gakpo returns after the international break]. He is already out of the [knee] brace, walks normally, so from all the very, very bad possibilities injury-wise, I think he got nearly the best."
When the Liverpool squad trained on Thursday, Gakpo was among them.
The Dutchman has occupied a couple of different roles for Liverpool so far this season, beginning the campaign in midfield but then moving into the 'number nine' position as others like Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have come in and out of the side – in Gakpo's absence against Brighton last time out, central striker Nunez was flanked by Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.
Gakpo's recovery is a relief, but there was no Andrew Robertson in training. The Scotland captain hurt his shoulder during his country's Euro 2024 qualifier against Spain last week and has been pictured still sporting a sling in recent days.
A report from the Mirror suggests Robertson won't be seen back on the pitch before December – at least six weeks – although he could yet be missing for the rest of the calendar year in a potential 10-week absence if the decision is made that surgery is a necessary intervention.
That will likely mean an extended run of Premier League games for Kostas Tsimikas for the first time in his Liverpool career. The Greece international has never started more than three Premier League games in a row, and only 18 in the league in total since he joined from Olympiacos in 2020.
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