Liverpool sweating on fitness of Virgil van Dijk and Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of Barcelona clash

Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain missed Liverpool training on the eve of their Champions League clash with Barcelona.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are looking to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona in the second-leg of the semi-final at Anfield but the club will be without a number of key names, including Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

And now there are major injury concerns over Van Dijk and Oxlade-Chamberlain, who trained on their own at Melwood on Monday afternoon away from the rest of the squad.

Jurgen Klopp is now sweating over fitness of both Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Van Dijk, who has been in hot form at the back for Liverpool, trained on his own on Monday

Oxlade-Chamberlain also trained away from the rest of the Liverpool squad at Melwood

There are no specific reasons why the Liverpool duo missed training but both still may be available to face the Catalan giants. 

The potential absence of Van Dijk will come as a huge blow to Klopp with Liverpool’s Champions League hopes already hanging by a thread.

The Dutch centre-back has been a rock at the back for the Reds, helping them to battle in the latter stages of both the Champions League and Premier League. 

Meanwhile, Klopp will have been hoping Oxlade-Chamberlain would make a big impact in the last few matches of the season after overcoming a long-term knee injury.

The former Arsenal man has missed the whole of the season and made his long-awaited return against Huddersfield in the Premier League. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold plays a pass during a possession-based drill in training on Monday

Sadio Mane closes down Rhian Brewster as he tries to get the ball off the English youngster

Divock Origi pips Fabinho to the ball as Daniel Sturridge watches on during the session

Liverpool’s task has got a whole lot harder against the European giants and they will also miss the attacking threat of Salah and Firmino, who were both ruled out of the game earlier on.  

Egypt international Salah is suffering from concussion after being carried off at Newcastle on Saturday, while Firmino misses out with a muscle problem. 

But Liverpool have no option but to go for it and Klopp has pledged to come out of the blocks all guns blazing – claiming if they do ultimately come up short they have to fail ‘in the most beautiful way’.

Klopp said in his pre-match press conference: ‘The approach we will take is that we try to win the game, if that makes sense.

Dejan Lovren and Xherdan Shaqiri stretch as they warm up their muscles before training

Alisson will have to be at the top of his game if he wants to stop Lionel Messi and Co

The Liverpool squad appeared in high spirits on the eve of the anticipated European clash

‘But you cannot play against Barcelona and tell the world “Watch this” and after 10 minutes we are level.

‘You cannot win 3-0 in the first five minutes, even if you are 3-0 up, you haven’t won it. We have to be ready to try for 95 minutes or even more.

‘He (Salah) feels OK but that is not good enough from a medical point of view. He is desperate, but we cannot do it.

‘Two of the world’s best strikers are not available tomorrow and we have to score four goals to go through in 90 minutes.

‘It doesn’t make life easier but as long as we have 11 players on the pitch, we will try.’  

Daniel Sturridge may have a huge role to play at home against Ernesto Valverde’s side

The Reds head into the Champions League clash on the back of their 3-2 win over Newcastle

Klopp’s side need to go all out at Anfield as they look to overturn their 3-0 deficit on Tuesday