Liverpool could receive a timely double fitness boost for Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal, with both Virgil van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara potentially set to return and Luis Diaz also knocking on the door.
Defensive talisman Van Dijk was a surprise absentee for Tuesday’s clash with Chelsea, sitting out the turgid goalless draw at Stamford Bridge due to a bout of illness that had prevented him from training.
However, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was always confident that the Netherlands captain would return against the Premier League leaders at Anfield this weekend.
Key midfielder Thiago, meanwhile, has not played now for two months - since the dismal 3-0 loss to Wolves at Molineux on February 4 - due to a persistent hip flexor problem.
Diaz is a long-term absentee, not featuring at all since suffering a serious knee ligament injury in the pulsating 3-2 defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in October that required surgery and a lengthy lay-off.
However, both Thiago and Diaz have been back in full training at Kirkby alongside Van Dijk in recent days, with two of those three potentially set to be available for a high-profile Easter Sunday fixture on Merseyside.
Klopp just needs to complete one final check on Thiago on Friday to ensure that he is ready to be selected once more.
"Virgil was completely normal back in training. Luis and Thiago trained as normal," the German said at his pre-match press conference. "Thiago looks slightly different (to Diaz). He is not out that long.
"[He has] trained now three times. Three or four times with the team. He might be available but we have to check how he feels today."
Diaz is unlikely to be risked against Arsenal though after such a long absence, with the Colombian forward instead targeting the trip to face Leeds at Elland Road on April 17 for his long-awaited comeback.
"The plan with Luis is that he will be available 100 per cent for Leeds," said Klopp. "Again, it looks good, everything is fine, but it was a long, long injury and so we have to be careful. We will probably not involve him for Sunday."
While that trio are likely to return soon, Liverpool remain without the services of Naby Keita, who recently returned from international duty with Guinea with a muscle injury.
Fellow midfielder Stefan Bajcetic will miss the remainder of the season due to a groin issue, meanwhile, with teenage right-back Calvin Ramsay also not expected back this term after knee surgery.
