Sakho may move a little further up the pecking order and proving his fitness and professionalism during this period could be key to winning over Klopp.
Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan has been ruled out of the squad for this weekend’s game with Leicester City after aggravating a knee injury while on international duty with Estonia, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Klavan signed for the Reds during the summer from Augsburg and featured heavily on Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States, which led him to start the Reds’ opening two games of the Premier League season.
The Estonian could have had a better start to life in the league, particularly in the defeat against Burnley on the second weekend.
Much of the late part of the transfer window saw a lot of talk about Mamadou Sakho possibly leaving the club on loan, with manager Jurgen Klopp said to have been happy with his defensive options.
Sakho turned down West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City among others to remain at the club, although it seems he would be way down the pecking order behind Klavan, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and even Lucas Leiva and Joe Gomez. The Echo reported the club told the Frenchman to go on loan in order to prove his fitness and professionalism.
In a logical sense, this could move Sakho further up the pecking order in terms of he is the most natural, left-sided centre-back the club has available at the moment.
If he can prove himself in training and show the right attitude – and with a cup game not so far away against Derby County where one or two changes may be made – the Frenchman must surely sense an opportunity to play in his first match since April. The extent of Klavan’s injury is unclear, but Klopp is unlikely to rush him back if he feels he has sufficient cover.
Matip and Lovren look set to be the first choice partnership, but getting himself named on the bench in the coming weeks could be some sort of progress for Sakho, a step in the right direction when it appeared he would not play for the Reds this season.
An injury here, a suspension there and he may get his opportunity again. Now is the time for him to really get his head down and win his manager over.
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