Football NewsKlopp returns a suspected positive test for Covid-19 and will miss Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea
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Jurgen Klopp will miss Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea on January 2 after returning a suspected positive test for Covid-19.

Klopp has mild symptoms and will isolate ahead of the fixture. Assistant manager Pep Lijnders will be in charge of Liverpool for the crucial match against their title rivals at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool said in a statement that testing of the entire first-team set-up has revealed no further positive cases within the playing squad in addition to the three confirmed by Klopp on Friday.

Three backroom staff members have returned suspected positive results, however. 

Should the positive test be confirmed, Klopp will also miss the midweek League Cup semi-final away to Arsenal. 

Liverpool are currently third in the Premier League table and are looking to hit back after losing against Leicester on December 28.

Following Manchester City’s victory at Arsenal on Saturday, Chelsea are 11 points behind the league leaders having played a game less, while Liverpool are 12 points adrift with two games in hand. Neither team, therefore, can afford to lose Sunday’s blockbuster clash if they are realistically to challenge City for the title. 

The surge in Covid cases caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant has caused chaos within football, leaving some squads threadbare and an ever-growing number of fixtures to be postponed due to lack of players.

There have been 18 postponed games in the Premier League so far due to Covid, with the New Year’s Day clash between Leicester and Norwich falling the latest victim along with Newcastle’s trip to Southampton on Sunday. 

Liverpool’s Boxing Day game at Anfield was one of the games postponed after an outbreak among visitors Leeds.