Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he will not rush Adam Lallana back to face former club Southampton on Saturday but believes Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson may be available.
Klopp, who spent time in hospital this week with illness, will be on the touchline this weekend at Anfield and is hoping three points can take Liverpool into the top four of the Premier League.
Liverpool's first team includes five Southampton alumni, two of which may not be fit to face their former club. Mane is recovering from a hamstring strain while Lallana is yet to play this season due to a thigh injury.
"Sadio we have to wait, we will see today. "Adam is in training now since three days or four days [ago]. It was a really long [time], it is fantastic that he is back. He lost nothing, no skills or anything. He trained really well but in the next few weeks we have games every three days and we will need him for that.
"There is no rush in it even when everyone who knows Adam can imagine how ready he is to be part of the squad again, so we will see what we do in this case."
Related: Five reasons why Tottenham won't win the north London derby this Saturday
Lallana is likely to have a place on the bench, but Klopp will have captain Henderson at his disposal after the England midfielder also recovered from a thigh injury that saw him miss the 4-1 win over West Ham.
"Hendo, yes, should be OK, I think," Klopp added. "He used the week he had in the national break, he used it well to recover from different things to be honest. Now he is on a good way and, yes, will be involved."
Saturday's match is not expected to be a blockbuster after the meetings last season. Four matches last season between the two teams produced just two goals, with both league games finishing goalless.
Southampton, then under Claude Puel, beat Liverpool 2-0 on aggregate in the semifinal of the EFL Cup but lost to Manchester United in the final.
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