Joel Matip out of Liverpool Squad vs. Plymouth After Jurgen Klopp Legal Advice
Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip has been left out of the Reds squad for their FA Cup third-round replay at Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday.ย
Sky Sports News HQ confirmed the Cameroonian's omission from the travelling group as a dispute with the defender's national team continues surrounding his lack of participation at theย Africa Cup of Nations:
Per MailOnline's Dominic King, manager Jurgen Klopp "took advice from Liverpoolโs legal team and the club's owners, Fenway Sports Group" on whether to select Matip having previously left him out of the squad that faced Manchester United on Sunday because of similar concerns.
According toย BBC Sport, Klopp and Liverpool will be told on Friday whether a case against Matip will be opened after he refused to play for Cameroon at AFCON 2017.
The 25-year-old was not picked in theย Indomitable Lions' final 23-man squad for the tournament, but they can request he be blocked by FIFA from playing for his club for the duration of AFCON 2017, per BBC Sport.
Liverpool face the possibility of being unable to use Matip until early February, when the tournament finishes, and the decision to omit him from Wednesday's clash is to avoid the danger of being expelled from the FA Cup, perย Andy Hunterย in theย Guardian.
The situation isn't ideal for the Anfield club, but they are legislating against the possibility of breaking any rules, per theย Telegraph'sย Chris Bascombe:
The Reds should have more than enough quality to see off League Two Plymouth without the defender, but an extended absence for Matip would be a big blow for Liverpool as they continue their pursuit of the Premier League title.
A summer arrival from Schalke 04, Matip has been excellent for the Anfield outfit so far in 2016-17 and is arguably the best centre-back Klopp has to call upon.
If he were to be absent until next month, the Liverpool boss would have to rely on the error-prone likes of Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan to keep things tight at the back.
