Jordan Henderson admits Liverpool face a challenge in coping with the absence of their Africa Cup of Nations contingent.
Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita will miss a number of key games over the next month after jetting out to Cameroon for the tournament, which starts next weekend.
Salah and Mane signed off with goals in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Chelsea on Sunday while Keita emerged as a substitute during the second half.
With Liverpool still missing a host of players through injury and positive coronavirus tests, the absence of the £125million trio has left boss Jurgen Klopp with imminent selection headaches.
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And asked if those remaining available are going to have to now step up, Henderson said: "We are as a squad and a team.
"They (Salah, Mane and Keita) are fantastic players as we know, we will miss all of them. They will be big misses.
"That's the challenge, but hopefully that can make us stronger and stay together and use the fantastic squad we have got.
"Hopefully we can be in a good position when they come back. Everybody in the squad needs to be ready to play over this next period over the next few weeks."
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While Liverpool allowed a two-goal lead to slip at Stamford Bridge, Henderson was pleased with the reaction of the players having suffered only their second defeat of the season at Leicester City five days earlier.
“We were disappointed with the last game," said the Reds skipper. "Overall, we weren’t at the races really and we can play a lot, lot better.
“But I think we showed a reaction (at Chelsea) to keep going, keep digging in when things aren’t going our way – to just try to keep going – and we ended up getting a point.
"I'm sure it was a great game for the neutral. On one hand we're disappointed but on the other hand you have to give credit to Chelsea and it's always a difficult place to come and take a point.
“We know how strong City are, Chelsea are, the whole of the Premier League – it’s a tough league, some very good teams, so you can’t get focused on anything else but yourself."
Caomhin Kelleher made only a fourth Premier League appearance after Alisson Becker joined Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip in missing the game due to a suspected positive coronavirus test.
The 23-year-old goalkeeper made fine saves from Christian Pulisic in either half, and Henderson said to liverpoolfc.com: “I thought he was outstanding. Not only his saves, but showing personality on the ball, playing out, being calm, his distribution was good.
“But he has been every time he has come in, so it doesn’t really surprise us, but I thought he was a big plus for us."
