Liverpool have had their fair share of injury problems over the season so far, and now a new update has emerged on a key player that will be another blow for Jurgen Klopp during the World Cup break.
What's the latest?
Assistant boss Pep Lijnders has given an update on both Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, with the latter now set for an extended period on the treatment table.
Lijnders responded to a question about the pair's chances of taking part in the scheduled friendlies in Dubai during the international break:
"Luis definitely, if everything goes to plan. We can’t wait to see him back, he is this player who smiles when he has the ball at his feet.
"Diogo will join us to continue his rehab. The conditions to train and recover in Dubai are just very, very good. A change of scenery is always a welcome factor when recovering from a long-term injury."
It's bad news for Klopp
There is no doubt that it will be bad news for Klopp that Jota doesn't look like he's any closer to being in contention to return to action after Christmas when the team will need him the most with many players coming back from the World Cup in a fatigued state.
Darwin Nunez will undoubtedly play a key role in Uruguay's campaign over the tournament and the Liverpool manager will be desperately hoping that his striker doesn't pick up any problems over in Qatar in the coming weeks ahead, especially now Jota will not be available.
The Portuguese sensation, who Conor Coady dubbed "phenomenal" has missed out on the majority of the season after suffering an aggravated hamstring injury, making just eight appearances in the Premier League and Champions League so far.
Despite his period on the sidelines, the £78.5m-rated ace has scored five goals, proving just how much of a miss he is for Liverpool.
Jota has scored 34 times and registered 14 assists in 93 appearances since joining the Reds in 2020, with a goal contribution every 118 minutes so there is no doubt that Klopp will want him back in the team when possible as he is a consistent and reliable performer in front of goal.
With that being said, the Liverpool manager will be delighted to have Diaz back in contention to start when Liverpool return to action after Christmas but the absence of Jota continues to serve as bad news.