Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold should be ready for Boxing Day but James Milner a doubt

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that his star defenders Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold should be fit to face Aston Villa on Boxing Day – but the Liverpool boss will be sweating on the fitness of James Milner.

Milner hobbled off with a suspected hamstring injury just 38 minutes into Liverpool’s thrilling last-16 Carabao Cup encounter with Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side edged a five-goal thriller 3-2 to knock the holders out in a contest which came too early for Roberto Firmino – who was ruled out with a calf problem he sustained in training.

Jurgen Klopp hopes Trent Alexander-Arnold will be fit to face Aston Villa on Boxing Day after the defender missed Liverpool’s Carabao Cup tie with Man City through illness

Liverpool will be sweating on James Milner after the 36-year-old was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury against Man City

Van Dijk resumed training for Liverpool on Wednesday after returning from Qatar with Holland. 

Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold has been among a number of Liverpool players who were hit by illness. 

Providing an update ahead of Liverpool’s return to Premier League action, Klopp said: ‘He (Milner) felt something. We still hope it’s not an injury but we will see. He felt something and after 30 years in the business he said he didn’t think it’s a lot, but we will see. 

‘Bobby in the last session (before the City game) felt something and we had other problems with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain set to start and then he got ill two days ago and this morning he was fine.

‘We thought Trent would available but then he got ill. Virgil trained today and yesterday completely normal and should be ready for Monday. But we have to see who gets the virus until then.’

Klopp confirmed that van Dijk returned to training on Wednesday and should be ready for Boxing Day

Roberto Firmino missed Liverpool’s thrilling cup tie with Man City because of a calf issue he sustained in training

Despite Milner’s age, he has been a mainstay in Klopp’s side – and has featured 20 times for Liverpool this season.

Klopp will hope his injury is not too serious with a demanding run of fixtures coming up.

The Liverpool boss was not happy with his side’s defending and admitted that all of the goals they conceded against Man City were ‘unnecessary’.

Goals from Erling Haaland, Riyad Mahrez and Nathan Ake sunk the Reds, despite Klopp’s side coming back from behind twice through Fabio Carvalho and Mohamed Salah.

After Liverpool head to Villa Park on Boxing Day, they host Leicester just four days later at Anfield.