Klopp given confidence in answer to goal-scoring solution without Salah and Mane

Liverpool's goal-scoring credentials without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have been called into question as both players are away representing their respective nations at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Though the first game without the pair was against League One minnows Shrewsbury Town, the Reds deserve credit for putting four past them without two of their main men.

It was an uncomfortable opening after the visitors raced into a shock lead at Anfield but Liverpool's equaliser came from a promising source.

Kaide Gordon became the youngest player to score for Liverpool in FA Cup history after he found the net at 17 years of age to level the score before the floodgates opened and the Reds barely looked back.

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The second came from an even unlikelier outlet in defensive midfielder Fabinho who rarely finds the net for club or country.

The Brazilian notched Liverpool's second and fourth of the afternoon to register double the amount of goals he had going into the contest this season.

In 14 league appearances this term, Fabinho has found the net just once but his brace today will give Reds boss Jurgen Klopp some confidence that he can be relied upon to come up with a strike or two while the usual marksmen are absent.

Roberto Fimino has often been praised for his ability to string attacks together while Salah and Mane steal the limelight by putting the ball in the back of the net, but the Brazilian was among the goals himself on Sunday.

A cheeky back-heeled effort ensured he will have momentum in front of goal to build upon for the more pressing tasks that await Liverpool in the upcoming weeks.

The obvious gulf in quality between the two sides is a clear caveat when assessing whether Liverpool can be as dominant in an attacking sense for the two-legged Carabao Cup clash with Arsenal just around the corner.

Sunday's contest was simply the first and easiest test for a Liverpool bereft of their best attacking talent.

Salah has notched 23 of Liverpool's 80 goals this term, while Mane has contributed 10 to that figure.

Klopp will be looking around his dressing room and calling on each member to work as a collective to soften the blow the absence of both has caused at a time when the Reds title tilt is already on the rocks.

Liverpool sit third in the league, 11 points adrift of table-toppers Manchester City and one point behind second-placed Chelsea having played a game less.

Huge pressure will now be placed onto the shoulders of Diogo Jota to continue his fine form, with the 25-year-old bagging 12 goals across all competitions this term.

Their next league outing comes in the form of a home clash with Thomas Frank's Brentford side.

The last time the two sides met saw both play out a 3-3 thriller in West London with Salah notching Liverpool's second on the night.

A trip to Crystal Palace is the following Premier League fixture as Klopp aims to recreate a similar performance to the one witnessed at Anfield in September that saw both Mane and Salah on the scoresheet.

Their influence is undeniably huge and it will require an immense collective effort from those still on Merseyside to soften the blow of their national team commitments.