Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to wait on Virgil van Dijk fitness

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has acknowledged that it 'would not be cool' if Virgil van Dijk remained on the sidelines for Saturday's Premier League clash at Chelsea.

Van Dijk sustained a rib injury during last weekend's victory over Southampton, and it forced the Dutchman to miss the EFL Cup tie with Chelsea in midweek.

Klopp has said that Liverpool are capable of coping without the centre-back, but admits that he is keen to have his first-choice defender available for selection.

At a press conference, the 50-year-old told reporters: "We have to wait, he didn't train with the team so far.

"Virgil is a world class player and when you miss a world class player it's not cool. Dejan Lovren played his first game in 10 weeks and most of that time he couldn't train.

"If Virgil is fit, he plays. If not, then obviously we have options. We can play without Virgil, thank God. But I prefer if we can. The last game he wasn't available, now we will see for tomorrow."

Liverpool head into the match looking to register their seventh successive win of the new Premier League campaign.