Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas has allayed any injury fears ahead of Saturday's huge Premier League showdown with Manchester City.
Concerns over the left-back's condition and potential availability for that crunch lunchtime clash at the Etihad Stadium were sparked after he was a surprise absentee from Gus Poyet's Greece squad to face France in their final Euro 2024 qualifier in Athens on Tuesday night.
Tsimikas was not involved at all in that match, having started and played the full 90 minutes in Friday's 2-0 friendly win over New Zealand.
The absence of the 27-year-old would have been particularly keenly felt by Liverpool given that first-choice left-back Andy Robertson is currently sidelined after shoulder surgery, with his understudy having deputised of late and impressed with two assists in the 3-0 home win over Brentford before the international break.
But any worries over Tsimikas' availability to face title rivals Man City have now been firmly calmed, with the player explaining that his absence against France was due to fears of picking up a yellow card that would rule him out of the first leg of Greece's play-off tie in the New Year.
Instead, the player made an early return to Liverpool, where he is fully focused on preparations for the weekend.
"I could not play in the game against France because if I should take a yellow card, I would not play in the [play-off] games in March, which are more important than the one against France," Tsimikas explained to Liverpool's official website.
"I decided to come back earlier to the team, to be with the squad, to train with the team, to be more ready.
"It was my decision and this is what I wanted to do because, as everybody knows, most of the time we play 12.30 after the international break and even the players who played far, they didn't come yet, they come probably one day, two days before the game.
"So for me, I think it was a very good chance to come earlier to be with the team and to train hard."
On stepping up against Brentford as Liverpool continued their formidable run at fortress Anfield, Tsimikas added: "Before Brentford, I was not in the best condition of myself.
"I try to find my best moments, I try to fight back, to be the player I was before, to make assists, to run, to defend, to do everything on the pitch.
"I'm really happy I came back against Brentford. I have to keep going with the same passion.
"OK, this can happen, we play football, it's a very difficult sport. It's up to me now to continue to play good and to make assists for the team."
