When are Jota, Van Dijk and Firmino back for Liverpool? Klopp provides update on injured trio

• Jota out since October with calf injury
• Firmino (calf) and Van Dijk (hamstring) also sidelined
• Luis Diaz expected to be out until March

WHAT HAPPENED? Speaking at a press conference ahead of his side's FA Cup fourth round trip to Brighton, Klopp confirmed that the trio were "a couple of weeks" away from returning to full training, with Luis Diaz expected to be out until March with his knee issue.

WHAT THEY SAID: Klopp told reporters: "Closer, yes. [Imminent], no. They will take another couple of weeks, I think, until they can start training.

“Luis takes longer, but Diogo, Bobby and Virgil, in a couple of weeks they’ll be part of training. Then we have to see how quick it goes from there.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Jota has not featured since tearing his calf in the 1-0 win over Manchester City in October, while Firmino damaged a calf in training in December and Van Dijk picked up a hamstring injury in the defeat at Brentford earlier this month. Diaz has been out since the defeat to Arsenal on October 9, while Klopp confirmed that Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo was still "two or three weeks" away from returning to full training after a thigh problem. He also revealed that Fabio Carvalho was likely to miss the trip to Brighton with a minor issue, while Nat Phillips has been absent from training this week due to illness.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL? The Reds travel to Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday (13:30 GMT), before visiting Wolves in the Premier League next Saturday.