The Reds' squad had been beset by fitness concerns for a number of months until a quartet of comebacks last week finally whittled down the absentees to a manageable level, with just Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip currently sidelined alongside Conor Bradley and Ben Doak.

Trent-Alexander Arnold started his first game since February in Thursday's 1-0 win over Atalanta in the Europa League while goalkeeper Alisson Becker was making just his second since a hamstring problem over two months ago.

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Meanwhile, Diogo Jota was able to make his own return after a couple of months out when he emerged as a substitute in the last week's 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the first leg, but Klopp has been trying to assuage an injury list for most of the calendar and at one point in mid-February, he was unable to call upon as many as 13 first-team players.

However, with the Reds now two points behind leaders Manchester City and just the Premier League left to fight for after an exit from the Europa League at quarter-final stage, the manager says he cannot afford his players the time and space normally needed to get back to full fitness.

“We need Trent Alexander-Arnold, of course, but we need him in a really good shape and form and that's what he has to get up to," said Klopp.

"It's not about him and it's not his fault if he wouldn't be, it's just the situation.

We have to find a way to help the boys in the best way, to bring them as quickly as possible into their best form or shape and from there we have to go.

With them we have a chance, with them in a really good football moment the chance gets bigger and bigger."

Klopp added: “There is no perfect way, the boys more or less have to get through this by themselves.

We had an injury with Conor Bradley, so it means one right-back solution is gone so it's good that Trent is back.

The boys who played much more rhythm have to set the level and the other boys fit in and then push us to the next level."

Klopp's side can go above City with victory over Fulham on Sunday afternoon.
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