Cody Gakpo missed the Merseyside Derby last night, but he had a very valid reason. “Cody probably has the best excuse of all! Timing is not great, but much more important; right now, they are expecting a baby; now, maybe! So, these are two changes we had to make,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
That’s right, the Dutchman’s partner went into labor this week, and he took time away from the club to be with her.
West Ham United vs Liverpool FC FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Apr. 27, 2024, at 12:30 pm UK at London Stadium, UK
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Team News: Liverpool West Ham
Starting XI Predictions: Liverpool West Ham
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 63% Draw 19% West Ham 18%
PL Position, Form Guide: Liverpool 2nd, 74 pts LWLDW West Ham 8th, 48 pts LLWDL
Reds Team News
Gakpo is expected to be available on Saturday at West Ham. Diogo Jota (knock in the hip area) will not be.
“Diogo scored the goal, felt a little bit, and now we found out it’s a little bit more. So, he will be out for two weeks. I cannot really say a lot about it, to be honest. He got a knock – normal challenge – then felt a little bit at the hip,” said Klopp.
Jota should be back the following week, as should Conor Bradley, who is still recovering from the ankle ligament problem that he’s been battling. Otherwise there are no new updates or fitness concerns coming out of the Premier League title contention ending loss at Everton yesterday.
Sorry, but it’s true! Liverpool are only playing for second or third place from now on.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.