Liverpool midfielder Emre Can is unlikely to feature against Middlesbrough on Wednesday night, though Jürgen Klopp remains hopeful that Dejan Lovren will be fit.

The centre-back had to be withdrawn at half-time of the Reds' 2-2 draw with West Ham United on Sunday complaining of hamstring cramp, a game Can missed entirely due to a knee problem.

But the manager spoke in the aftermath of Liverpool's draw at Anfield hoping that they had taken Lovren off early enough to avoid any serious damage, and he suggested that the Croatian could be back for the mid-week trip to the Riverside Stadium.

Can out of contention for Boro trip

Previewing the Teesside clash in front of the media, Klopp explained that Can was absent due to "a challenge with Divock [Origi] in training" which he explained was "knee on knee."

He said that "both trained on" and "could do the rest of the training" but said that German midfielder Can "had a little bit more pain" which needed Liverpool to look "a little bit more exact on it."

"I never heard about this ligament [in the knee], but it's a little bit damaged," continued the manager, who stated that Can is "already on a good way."

Klopp said on Monday that was "not sure" whether he could be back in time to face Aitor Karanka's Boro, saying that he is "in doubt for Wednesday" but that "he will be back for sure" for next Monday's showdown with Everton at Goodison Park.

He said that it "would be cool" if Can "could train tomorrow [Tuesday]" but said that they would have to wait and see, adding that it is "painful" and there is "not really more" he could say.

Klopp still awaiting to learn extent of Lovren injury

But Klopp issued a more positive prognosis on Lovren, as he spoke about the precautionary nature of his substitution at the weekend.

On whether he could keep his place in the starting eleven, the German boss said: "Hopefully, I don't know more in this moment. It was cramp. He told me he wanted to play and I told him I want to play too, but for the last 20 years I can't."

Klopp insisted that it is not "about what you want" but rather "about what is possible", saying that they "made the decision together" with the medical department that it was "better to take him off."

However, he could only add that they "don't know more about it in the moment" as they wait to discover the true extent of Lovren's injury.

Grujic "already on the way out" from tendon issue

Another who was absent from the matchday squad to take on the Hammers, as well as missing the trip to Bournemouth, is midfielder Marko Grujic.

The Serbian summer signing has not been seen since a late cameo in the EFL Cup win at home to Leeds United, with Klopp revealing that he has suffered from a tendon-related injury over the last few weeks.

On the 20-year-old's problem, he told reporters that the injury is "kind of where the tendon goes over the muscle" and that it is 'a little tendon injury."

Klopp added: "They told me it [the length of Grujic's injury] was around about three weeks, so he is already on the way back, but not back [yet]."

He explained that Grujic "trained normally" and "then afterwards felt it a little bit", with the diagnosis following that and "since then he has been out."

Elsewhere, Daniel Sturridge isn't expected to feature in the squad to face Middlesbrough in the north east - the striker having yet to return to full training from a calf injury.

Attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho remains out - although is increasingly of an early return from his ankle ligament injury.

Youngsters Sheyi Ojo and Joe Gomez are also closing in on returns to the first-team after their respective lay-offs.