Jurgen Klopp admits "it feels like Christmas" as Liverpool's injury crisis shows signs of easing with the return of Diogo Jota and imminent comeback of Thiago Alcantara.
Jota resumed training on Thursday having been absent since early July after aggravating a hamstring problem suffered while on international duty with Portugal the previous month.
With Darwin Nunez having now served a three-match suspension, Liverpool have a full complement of forwards from which to choose going into the 241st Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison on Saturday.
READ MORE: Arthur Melo transfer will force Liverpool to axe senior player from Champions League squad
READ MORE: 'This boy' - Luis Suarez has already provided brutal Arthur Melo verdict ahead of Liverpool deal
And Klopp said on Friday afternoon: "First time Diogo probably will be in, he trained yesterday with the team for the first time and he will train today. We have to make a decision about whether it makes sense to involve him already or not.
"But if we do, then it is the first time we've had five attackers. It feels like Christmas. If we will make changes, we will see."
Liverpool are still waiting on results of the scan on Jordan Henderson's hamstring problem, with the Liverpool skipper facing a likely extended spell on the sidelines. New on-loan midfielder Arthur Melo is still waiting on international clearance and won't be involved at Everton.
Thiago, though, is expected to resume training ahead of Wednesday's Champions League group opener at Napoli having missed almost a month with his own hamstring complaint. And Klopp believes Ibrahima Konate, out since the start of August with a knee problem, could return to full training by the start of October.
"Thiago is the closest of all, I think the start of next week he will be in team training," said the Liverpool boss. "Ibou is not too far away, in and around the international break he will be back in training.
"Hendo we don't know. Nothing yet, still waiting for the result. He is definitely out, injured but don’t know the extent.
"Naby (Keita) is a muscle injury, Ox (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain) is a muscle injury and obviously they will be out for a while. Calvin Ramsay is still out but really getting closer, for him some of it to do with his back and something to do with age and growing. He hasn't trained properly with us yet but he gets closer."
Nunez, who missed the last three games through suspension having been sent off against Crystal Palace, will challenge in-form Roberto Firmino for a starting role up front at Goodison.
And Klopp said: "When it was clear it was three games, then we thought oh the first game he could play is the derby! But now he learned a lesson. He is in really good shape and if you look how we came through it in the last two games by winning, we don’t see that as a bad thing the time he was out as we could use it with him.
"We try to give him some extra input physically as well as tactically. He looks really settled now, more than before. He was really good last week. What do we make of it? We have to wait until tomorrow.
"He is really happy to be back and not banned. I gave him for the time now always when I gave him a high five I gave him a slap on his neck as well so that he doesn't forget! So I can stop that now."
READ NEXT
