Monday 8 August 2016 11:44, UK
Jurgen Klopp says he has "no idea" whether Daniel Sturridge will be fit for Liverpool's opening Premier League match at Arsenal.
Sturridge missed Liverpool's final two pre-season matches against Barcelona and Mainz this weekend with what the club described as a slight hip issue.
The England forward has struggled to maintain his fitness over the past two seasons and Liverpool insisted his absence was only a precautionary measure.
However, when asked if Sturridge would be fit to feature at the Emirates Stadium on Super Sunday, Klopp replied: "No idea. That's a two-word answer!"
Sturridge made just 14 Premier League appearances for Liverpool last season and only 12 in the 2014/15 campaign.
His potential absence will come as another blow for Liverpool, whose preparations for the new season have been beset by injury problems.
James Milner, Loris Karius, Lucas Leiva, Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez are sidelined at present and will miss the clash against the Gunners.
But Klopp added: "I'm always ready. We played some games that were very good, others that were less good.
"Barcelona was really good and then we had Mainz, and that is what you need. You have to work and that is all. That is what we are doing.
"We will be ready for the first game next week, for sure. But if Arsenal was the best game of the season for us, there would be something wrong with the season.
"We still have to go on. This is only the first game. We cannot decide the whole season in one game. But we need to be as good as possible. And that is what we will be, 100 per cent.
"But I am not in the mood to say this is our final shape."
