Jürgen Klopp believes no club could deal with the injuries that Liverpool have contend with this season as their hopes of Champions League qualification come under threat.

A bout of illness has made Philippe Coutinho a doubt for the Reds' clash with Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium this weekend, with key figures Sadio Mané, Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana all already absent.

Unless Coutinho is considered fit enough to feature late on, Klopp is likely to face a formation change to accommodate Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi or could look to the club's youth prospects, Trent Alexander-Arnold or Ben Woodburn, to come in.

Coutinho's early substitution in Wednesday's 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth proved a turning point as the Cherries found momentum to equalise late on when three points would have handed Liverpool a huge boost in the top-four race.

But though they face a battle to return to Europe's top-tier competition next year, Klopp is confident his side - unbeaten in five Premier League games - have still come a long way this season.

They have already accumulated the same number of points they managed in the entirety of his first season in charge last term with 60, with another seven top-flight matches left to play - starting with this Saturday's trip to north Staffordshire.

Liverpool boss: We've done a really good job so far, but it's not over yet

"I think we have made progress. I thought we have had wonderful games this season," Klopp said. "We've had a few injuries until now and if you take out all the players we missed from other teams, then if they can play their best football I'd be really surprised."

He added that they "can speak after the season" about the club's progress and acknowledged that if it is not clear now then it is the squad's "fault" because "it should be obvious."

Klopp noted that Liverpool have scored "the most goals in the league" which he says is "for sure not bad", admitting that they have also "conceded too much" but vowing: "We've had wonderful games at Anfield and away. 60 points, you don't get for nothing. You have to do a really good job."

He insisted that considering "all the problems" they have faced this season, it is "good" to be in "this position" although the season is not yet finished.

"That's what we have to know and to use the rest of the season, to have more points than these 60 after the last game," added Klopp.

In addition to Sturridge, Alexander-Arnold and Woodburn - Klopp could look to one of the senior squad's other fringe players such as Marko Grujić or even Alberto Moreno to come in.

The Reds boss insisted that his only focus is how Liverpool "can make a line-up against Stoke" which he called "a real challenge."

He said that the club's injuries "compromises" their situation and "makes life not easy", but declared: "It is not about thinking about the players you can't involve, but the players you can involve. I can't remember the last time everyone was fit and at the highest level."

Yet Klopp simply acknowledged this as "life" and insisted his thoughts are solely about which players can be involved against Stoke.

Klopp concentrated only on Liverpool's fixtures and not top-four rivals' games

The Reds boss also says he is paying no attention to the other teams in the top-four race and only on their opponents, although fourth-placed Manchester City can leapfrog them if they win their game in hand.

That extra fixture comes against Manchester United though, and if the Red Devils were to win the derby and beat Southampton, they would move level on points with Liverpool. Arsenal, also on 54, can do likewise if they beat Sunderland and Southampton.

Yet when asked to name Liverpool's biggest rival in the top-four race, Klopp said: "All the opponents we play. There's nothing else I think about. The situation is at it is, so it is our situation."

He insisted that they don't face any of the "other teams" and so don't "have influence on their games", calling upon Liverpool instead to "get as many points as possible" and "see where it ends."

Klopp added: "I don't think that 60 points, 62 or 65, will be enough to go to the Champions League. We need to collect a few more points and then after Middlesbrough [on the final day], we'll know exactly where it ends. We will see what happens."

He acknowledged that Liverpool's challengers are all "really strong" opponents and refused to answer whether it would be disappointing if his side failed to qualify for the Champions League, insisting that they "don't think about that."

He added that they are solely focused on Stoke and "how we can be as strong as possible there and win the game."

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About the author
Charlie Malam
Digital Sports Writer at the Daily Express. First-class Staffordshire University Sports Journalism graduate. Formerly VAVEL UK's Liverpool FC editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Contributor since June 2014.