Liverpool are still awaiting the results of a formal assessment of Luis Diaz's knee injury but could reportedly be without the winger until March.
The Colombia international was part of the 33-man squad that flew to Dubai for the Reds' mid-season training programme this week and was poised to make his comeback in Sunday's friendly against Lyon after returning to full training.
However, Diaz was dispatched back to Merseyside on Friday after complaining of discomfort in his knee and will play no part in either this weekend's game or the clash with AC Milan on December 16.
“It’s all good [fitness-wise] with the boys who are here," Jurgen Klopp said on Friday at the club's Dubai base. “What’s not good is we have to see with Lucho (Diaz). He felt something and we need to have further assessment there, but apart from that they all look really, really good.”
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Reports in Colombia emerged on Friday that night Diaz will need surgery on the issue, which would sideline the former Porto winger until March. It's understood the club are still waiting for an official outcome on their checks but they are likely braced for a second significant lay-off of their winger's campaign.
With Liverpool preparing for a hectic period that sees them play 11 times in less than two months, the ongoing absence of the influential Diaz will be keenly felt by Klopp, who currently has just Roberto Firmino, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah available as his senior attackers.
The 25-year-old Diaz has not played for Liverpool since he suffered a knee injury in a collision with Arsenal's Thomas Partey in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates in early October and had planned to use the Dubai trip as a launchpad for the second half of the campaign.
While his team-mates who weren't at the World Cup were granted time off for holidays in recent weeks, Diaz remained on Merseyside and reported for duty at the AXA Training Centre in an effort to speed up his recovery process.
Gym work and individually-tailored training sessions at the Kirkby complex had Diaz on course before he suffered a serious setback in his recovery on Friday.
Sources close to the player have spoken of their devastation at the news, with the Reds likely to be without their January signing for another prolonged period. With Diogo Jota also on the shelf until February, it raises the prospect of Klopp being unable to field two key attackers for another sizable spell.
Injuries have bitten hard on the Liverpool squad this season. Neither Diaz nor Jota have featured since October, Arthur Melo has played just 13 minutes since signing on transfer deadline day and the likes of Andy Robertson, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all missed games of their own.
Ibrahima Konate has made just two Premier League appearances to date, Joel Matip hasn't featured since the loss at Arsenal and Naby Keita is yet to make a competitive appearance this term.
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