The defenders both suffered fractures in early December and have been sidelined since, despite making good progress they are not match fit and are still a couple of weeks away from featuring for Liverpool
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JURGEN KLOPP is pleased with Joe Gomez and Joel Matip's recovery, but neither are match fit and will sit out their trip to Wolves on Monday.
Liverpool have had somewhat of a defensive crisis with the pair both sidelined since early December, with fractures, but their rehabilitation has been going well and Matip is on the verge of returning to training with the team.
Despite having two defenders out, Klopp agreed for Nathaniel Clyne to move to Bournemouth for the remainder of the season but is hopeful that the injured duo will be back sooner rather than later.
Gomez had played a key role in Liverpool's defence before his set-back and had appeared 18 times this season for the Reds.
But the defender's fracture in his lower left leg, that he sustained during Liverpool's 3-1 win over Burnley on December 5, is likely to see him on the bench for a few more weeks.
The London-born defender has been using his time off wisely and alongside rehabilitation he proposed to his childhood sweetheart.
Following the injury, the England international took pains to assure fans that the injury wasn't serious, but Klopp has a habit of not rushing players back from injury.
Liverpool's boss said: "Joe is getting better, it's getting better, but he's not yet involved."
Matip on the other hand may not be match fit, but is closer to a return to first-team football after successful surgery on his fractured collarbone.
The defender landed awkwardly from an aerial challenge during Liverpool's 1-0 win over Napoli, but he has responded well to his rehabilitation programme.
Speaking to reporters in his pre-FA Cup press conference about Matip's return, he said: "Joel is maybe a bit closer.
"We have to see how the bone healing is, that's always how it is when something has broken, but from his movements it looks nearly normal.
"But from his movements it looks nearly normal.
"But there are still a few days to go until we can have them in team training, until [Joel] is ready for contact, which for a centre-half is pretty important.
"Until then we will make all the fitness work. The good thing is Joel can do all the fitness work already since a week ago, so that means when he comes back he will be 100 per cent fit.
