Jurgen Klopp is hopeful Joel Matip will be available for Wednesday’s showdown with Tottenham Hotspur after the defender joined Liverpool’s ever-lengthening injury list.
Matip was forced off at half-time of the 1-1 Premier League draw at Fulham on Sunday after suffering a back problem.
The centre-back will now undergo treatment at Kirkby in an attempt to be available for the visit of Spurs, who remain ahead of the Reds at the summit on goal difference after a similar stalemate at Crystal Palace earlier in the day.
Klopp confirmed before the match at Craven Cottage that both Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas will be out for between six and eight weeks with respective knee problems.
And of Matip’s setback, Klopp said: “Joel has a spasm in his back.
“We will see. He will get treatment and we will see. I think there will be a chance for Wednesday.
“It’s not that bad at the moment.”
Klopp chose to move Jordan Henderson to centre-back in the second half rather than introduce Nat Phillips – who has made only two Premier League appearances – from the bench at Fulham.
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Makeshift defender Fabinho and teenager Rhys Williams are Liverpool's only other centre-back options.
And when asked if potentially losing Matip was not ideal given the form of Tottenham forwards Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, Klopp said: “We are not struggling with numbers at centre-back, they are just getting younger and younger.
“Today we brought Hendo in to that position.
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“I hope Joel will be fine, but I don’t know. We will have to find a solution. That’s how the football season is.”
Naby Keita was absent at Fulham with a fitness issue, although Alisson Becker returned in goal after three games out with a hamstring problem and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was on the bench for the first time this season after a long-term knee complaint.
