Jürgen Klopp says Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana is progressing well from a lengthy thigh injury after his recent return but will continue to be closely monitored.
The England international has made just one appearance for the Reds this season, coming off the bench late on against Chelsea, having missed the campaign's first three-and-a-half months.
Lallana's return has been carefully managed having not appeared in any of Liverpool's last three games, not even making the match-day squad on any of those occasions.
But he recently returned to full training and is expected to build on his tally of appearances in the coming months with Liverpool's festive fixture schedule demanding plenty of rotation.
The German revealed that Lallana is "back in training completely normally" but "needs to build up [his fitness levels] again."
"But he is good," Klopp said, insisting the midfielder "trains completely normally" and that he and his medical staff will "have to see what we do with him" because they "need him for the next few weeks."
He admitted that Lallana should not be needed for the visit of West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night, but that "step by step" they will see how they can "bring him in match fitness shape" although he is "in a good way."
Klopp uncertain on squad fitness
Left-back Alberto Moreno and centre-back Joël Matip are both absentees alongside Lallana, with Klopp acknowledging several minor issues that they must contend with for the visit of the Baggies.
"Not clear, 100 per-cent," Klopp said on his squad's fitness at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, hinting at the need for late tests because of "a few knocks."
He declared that they "still have to wait a little bit" to see which players are available and which aren't, though assured that there is "nothing serious" from the Merseyside derby "in the sense of long-term."
"For one or two it is possible that the time will not be enough for the West Brom game. We have to see," added Klopp.
He said that it is "how it is" after such intense games full of "hard challenges", insisting that they "need to judge" in the short term whether the players "feel an injury" or "just [the] intensity" which they need "pretty much each minute" until the game to judge and assess.
Moreno and Matip both out injured
Moreno could potentially be sidelined until the New Year with an ankle injury that he sustained last week in a Champions League tie with Spartak Moscow.
Quizzed for an update on Moreno's fitness, Klopp insisted he is "not ready for sure" and has "no chance" of featuring against Alan Pardew's visitors.
"We will make further assessments in the moment, we will send him to different doctors just to know a little bit more," the Reds boss revealed.
He admitted that it is "still possible" that his injury is "not that long" but that it is also a possibility that he could be out for "up to six weeks" and acknowledged they simply "have to see" and will "have a further look on it."
Centre-back Matip is also yet to return from an adductor injury having missed Liverpool's last three games with the problem.
Klopp continued: "Joël is not in training. He is running, nothing more. That means it takes a little bit longer."