The two midfielders were both late substitutes in the Community Shield against Man City 24 hours earlier, Keita playing the final five minutes and Jones coming on in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Both were therefore expected to line up for the friendly at Anfield on Sunday – as were James Milner and Harvey Elliott, who played the last 20 minutes against City. However, the duo were surprisingly absent from the team sheet against their French rivals and Klopp explained why. The boss said Keita is ill, while Jones has a knock. “Naby is sick and Curtis felt a bit and we couldn’t take any chances,” Klopp said after the match. “Suddenly the team was very young and we are playing [against] a really strong side of Strasbourg”. The duo’s absence was compounded by Ibrahim Konate being forced off in the second half, but Klopp hopes it is not a big deal. “We don’t know exactly about Ibou,” he said. “But it doesn’t seem too alarming, so hopefully we’ll catch it at the right time.” Keita, Jones and Konate added to those already sidelined. Kostas Tsimikas, Diogo Jota, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calvin Ramsey, Alisson, Caoimhin Kelleher and Kade Gordon. Klopp has even ruled Keita out of the Premier League opener against Fulham next week. On Jones, the boss says “we’ll have to see” and that his injury wasn’t an impact injury, making it unclear what the issue is. “He felt it today and wanted to play desperately, but then the medical department said no and that we had to do further tests. We will do it tomorrow and then we will know more.”
