Liverpool will still be without Philippe Coutinho and Joel Matip for the monumental visit of Manchester City on New Years' Eve, manager Jürgen Klopp has confirmed.
Attacking midfielder Coutinho had been recovering ahead of schedule from an ankle injury that he forced him to be stretchered off in the Reds' win over Sunderland at Anfield over a month ago.
But though the Brazilian is back in training at Melwood, he has yet to join his teammates on the outdoor pitches and won't be back in the team for Saturday's clash with City.
Nor will centre-back Matip, who has missed the wins over Middlesbrough, Everton and Stoke City with his own ankle issue and remains sidelined by the problem.
Klopp: Coutinho also likely to miss trip to Sunderland
Issuing an update on the fitness of his squad, Klopp told reporters on Thursday afternoon that while Coutinho is "in a good way" and "a really good way" he won't be available.
Previewing Liverpool's clash with Pep Guardiola's charges under the L4 floodlights, the manager continued: "I spoke to him a few minutes ago. But the City game, for sure, is too early.
"If the City game is too early, then I'm pretty sure that the Sunderland game [on January 2] is too early too. That's it."
Matip to miss City visit with troublesome ankle issue
In defence, summer signing Matip has been out since the home draw with West Ham United and will be absent this weekend with Ragnar Klavan again coming in for the Cameroonian alongside Dejan Lovren.
Asked about Matip's potential involvement, Klopp simply replied to one journalist: "No."
The 25-year-old has struggled with his ankle injury since pre-season, when he required a prolonged period on the sidelines after surgery - and so Klopp and his staff are expected to take their time to fully diagnose the extent of the damage.
Liverpool have no fresh injury problems, with midfielder Marko Grujic still out with a tendon-related injury, Danny Ings out for the season and Joe Gomez still rehabilitating from over a year out injured.