Liverpool are likely to be hugely disappointed by their inability to despatch 10-man Arsenal in the first-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
Without both Sadio Mane and Mo Salah the Reds were moribund as an attacking force, and ahead of the second leg, the Gunners would now appear to be favourites in the tie.
Thursday night’s game would’ve been ideal for Divock Origi to put his name up in lights again.
The Belgian, despite never being able to hold down a regular spot, has always excelled when called upon by Klopp.
Injury precluded his participation, and may also rule him out of the return.
It’s entirely possible that we may have seen the last of him in a Liverpool shirt too, after Klopp’s words in his post-match press conference left things open to interpretation.
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“Div is not available. Div didn’t train, Div is still injured and still in recovery,” he was quoted as saying by the official Liverpool website.
“So he cannot help us in this moment but I don’t see any kind of scenario – pretty much everything can happen in life – but from this moment I would say he will be here.
“And hopefully fit soon because we actually could use him quite well now.”
Though it seems clear that Klopp wants to ensure the striker remains on tap so to speak, it does bring into question the player’s own ambition if he is content to be a bit-part player at Anfield, particularly when the German notes that ‘anything can happen in life.’
At 26 years of age, he’s approaching his supposed peak years as a player, and he really should be looking to start in every game at this point.
All the while Messrs. Firmino, Salah and Mane are in situ, however, that would appear to be a rather remote possibility.
In the meantime, getting back to full fitness is the priority for a player that needs to make a firm decision on just how he wants to shape the rest of his playing career.