Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Naby Keita will miss Sunday's FA Cup clash against Everton after he was injured before Thursday's win over Sheffield United.
Now Liverpool are waiting to discover how long the midfielder will be on the sidelines with the groin injury, which he sustained with his last kick of the warm-up at Anfield.
Keita was named in the starting line-up for the visit of the Blades, with James Milner a late replacement in the XI as the Reds won 2-0 to complete 12 months without losing a league game.
Liverpool will now sweat on reports from the club's medical team as they assess the severity of Keita's injury, but Klopp has confirmed the 24-year-old Guinea international will definitely not be playing at Anfield on Sunday.
Klopp said: "I don’t know exactly what he has – it was the groin – but I can say already he will not be involved against Everton.
“That makes it 12 adult players we have [available], plus the kids, so that’s not cool, but we cannot change it.
“I have no clue how it happened, I think it was the last shot in the warm-up when he felt something. He came in [the dressing room] and was limping.
“Everybody who has played football has had this kind of injury and it’s not nice, it’s painful.
"I don’t know exactly what it is or how long it will take, but I can say already he will not be ready for Sunday.”
With Thursday's win over Sheffield United restoring Liverpool's 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League, the hope will hope Keita is available for the Reds' clash away to Tottenham a week on Saturday.
Meanwhile, fans took to Twitter called for Takumi Minamino to be handed his debut for Liverpool in Keita's absence on Sunday.
The Japan international signed for Liverpool from Red Bull Salzburg on New Year's Day but Premier League rules prevented him from making his debut against the Blades.
