Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Thiago Alcantara will miss this weekend's Premier League clash with Manchester City but there is a boost with Diogo Jota.
The defending champions travel to the Etihad Stadium for the first meeting of the two title rivals this season, where victory for the visitors would open up an eight-point advantage over Pep Guardiola's side.
Victory for City, meanwhile, would see them move within two points of the current league leaders with a game in hand still to play.
That outlines the importance of this weekend's clash and Liverpool will be without some key players for their short trip across the north west.
Midfielder Thiago, a summer signing from Bayern Munich, will be absent from the fixture as he continues his recovery, having last featured in the 2-2 draw against Everton in the Merseyside derby.
"Thiago, that's how it is. It's an injury but doesn't need surgery, all these kind of things but still takes time," Klopp said in his pre-match press conference.
"The challenge that day was a harsh one and directly against the leg, so still adapting but improving. It will not be too long anymore but for this game I don't think he will be in."
Liverpool will be able to call upon Diogo Jota, who scored the winning goal against West Ham last weekend and then a hat-trick in the Champions League victory over Ajax, with a knock he suffered in that game not serious.
"Nobody mentioned Diogo to me. Yesterday was second day recovery, he was involved. So that looked fine."
Joel Matip, Naby Keita and Kostas Tsimikas all returned in midweek and are available but Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ad Fabinho remain absent.
