Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has confirmed Daniel Sturridge's comeback from a hamstring injury has been delayed by niggles which have restricted his training regime.
The Reds boss had placed the England international on a specific routine which he likened to a "mini pre-season" in order to ensure he is at full fitness when he next returns, having sustained a hamstring strain in their loss to Newcastle United earlier on in December.
Injury-stricken Sturridge declared himself "good to go" after watching his side's Boxing Day victory over Leicester City but has since been absent for the games against Sunderland and West Ham United.
And Klopp has revealed that the No.15 has been unable to train regularly enough in consecutive sessions and will be unavailable for their Capital One Cup semi-final first-leg fixture at Stoke City on Tuesday night.
Boss explains Sturridge has suffered several setbacks
The manager explained that people may "have the feeling" that Sturridge has had three weeks worth of training and should be back in the squad, only for Klopp not to select the striker - but insisted "it's not like this."
Instead, he revealed that the 26-year-old has "had some problems" in the last few weeks, though said they were "not serious." However, the German explained that they meant he "could not make the next session" and "had to wait a day or something like this" to recover.
He said that it is "how a pre-season can be" although it "should not happen too much" because Sturridge is not playing any games to be able to pick up knocks, but insisted "some little things happened" which the Reds "have to handle."
Klopp explained that Sturridge hadn't had "a row of sessions" and so isn't in contention for the trip to Stoke, not because he hasn't selected him, and he is "the first" who will pick him "when he's available" and "when he's ready" and insisted: "I will never hold him back."
He hinted that Sturridge might have been in the squad had he been able to stick to "the usual plan" for the week but because "he didn't have one session with the team" he is "not available."
Klopp remaining patient with Sturridge recovery
On what the Reds now have to do to try and help the striker towards full fitness, Klopp said that they are trying to "fill his body with energy and strength and everything."
He admitted that it would be "easy" for him to say: "come on, let's try, we have problems, we don't score enough goals, bring him and let's see what happens" but insisted "that's where we have to be patient" and "have to wait."
Liverpool have desperately lacked someone of Sturridge's class and quality in the final third, with goals having dried up - just 22 in 20 league games so far this term their worst tally in the club's history at this stage of the season.