How Liverpool could line up against Nottingham Forest

The trio were all absent from the ranks for Wednesday's 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round win over Southampton, after which Klopp simply stated that he did not know whether any of them would be fit enough to face the Tricky Trees.

Reds fans are also waiting with bated breath to hear the latest on EFL Cup final victims Wataru Endo (knock) and Ryan Gravenberch (ankle), while Andrew Robertson also missed the beating of the Saints owing to illness.

With Robertson out, a staggering 14 players were on the Reds' absentee list on Wednesday, including Joel Matip (knee), Ben Doak (knee), Curtis Jones (shin), Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (muscle), Diogo Jota (knee) and Alisson Becker (thigh), none of whom will be ready for this game.

Following his EFL Cup heroics, Caoimhin Kelleher put in another exceptional display against Southampton and should be protected by Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, the former replacing Jarell Quansah at the back.

Should Robertson's illness clear up in time for the weekend, Kostas Tsimikas ought to cede his place to the Scotsman, while Conor Bradley is primed to continue on the right if Joe Gomez is shoe-horned into midfield again.

Bobby Clark and James McConnell joined the Englishman in the engine room on Wednesday, but Alexis Mac Allister will certainly take one of their places on Saturday, and Klopp may also consider dropping Harvey Elliott into a deeper position thanks to Jayden Danns's rise to prominence.

The 18-year-old scored twice in front of the Kop on Wednesday and has done everything in his power to earn a first Premier League start at the City Ground, where Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz could line up either side of him.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Gomez, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Danns, Diaz