Diogo Jota faces months on the sidelines, Jurgen Klopp revealed as the Liverpool manager gave a grim update on the club's injury crisis.
Speaking to the media ahead of Wednesday's Premier League match against luton city – live on talkSPORT – the Reds coach confirmed his current problems.
Klopp said striker Jota is expected to be out for several months following a knee injury suffered in the win over Brentford at the weekend.
Curtis Jones has also been forced out with an ankle injury and will miss the midweek clash against Luton, while Alisson, Dominik Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thiago Alcantara remain unavailable.
Klopp did not confirm whether Darwin Nunez would play, with the striker also coming off early against Brentford due to an injury problem.
“We have Diogo with a knee problem ruled out; obviously it will take months,” said Klopp, whose side face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. live on talkSPORT.
“Ali (Alisson) is not available, muscle injury – we don't know how long it will take but it will take some time to return – and Curtis with a bone/ligament problem is ruled out.
“Then we have the others, who we think we will take it day by day. The long-term ones like Trent (Alexander-Arnold) and Dom (Dominik Szoboszlai) are on their way back, but they are not yet training with the equipment, so they are not available. .
“That's the situation. What I said after the game, if we have 11, we will do it and that's the idea.
“We are where we are because of them (the younger players). We still have options there, definitely. James McConnell or Bobby Clark, Lewis Koumas, Jayden Danns, huge talents, but we'll see what we can do. We're planning for tomorrow.”
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Klopp's mind is really on Luton now, even with the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on the weekend.
“Set plays are a (Luton) strength, but I have to say the way they play, they play incredible, but even in the games they lost they were in it,” he said.
“We had a difficult game there and now, with possession, they found a structure in which everyone feels comfortable.
“Ross Barkley is a nice story in that he is back to his best level, or better. A deeper, more disciplined and extremely strong role. Lokonga, when you see him, you realize that he is an Arsenal player on loan.
“They are a really close (team). The situation at Bournemouth when the captain (Tom Lockyer went down) brought them closer and made them think that some things in life are worse than maybe being relegated.
“Overall, they deserve respect. We have to prove it with a proper performance from Liverpool. Everyone who enters the Anfield gate must be alert.”
