Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Dominik Szoboszlai picked up a hamstring injury in the Reds' pulsating 4-2 Premier League win over Newcastle United on Monday night.
The Merseyside outfit opened up a three-point lead over Aston Villa at the top of the Premier League table thanks to their beating of the Magpies, where Szoboszlai returned to the first XI after being benched against Burnley on Boxing Day.
The Hungary international's evening was cut short with just 64 minutes on the clock, though, and he was in visible discomfort as he trudged off the Anfield pitch behind Martin Dubravka's goal.
Liverpool already have Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago Alcantara, Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas out through injury, although Alexis Mac Allister returned from a knee problem as a substitute for the Reds' first fixture of 2024.
Mac Allister's return could potentially coincide with a layoff for Szoboszlai, though, as speaking to BBC Sport after the match, Klopp confirmed that the 23-year-old had damaged his hamstring.
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"Dominik Szoboszlai with a hamstring, we hope not too serious. Other players felt it as well. It's super intense. But there's no alternative if you want to win football games," Klopp confirmed.
Prior to Szoboszlai's substitution, Newcastle went into half time level despite facing a barrage of shots from a rampant Liverpool - 18 to be exact - the second-most the Reds have had in the first half of a Premier League game without scoring.
However, Mohamed Salah - who saw a first-half penalty saved by Dubravka - tapped in his 150th Premier League goal just four minutes after the restart, before Alexander Isak levelled for the visitors against the run of play.
Close-range efforts from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool's two-goal advantage, but Eddie Howe's men - who were indebted to Dubravka for several more saves - were not giving up the ghost and cut the deficit in half through a Sven Botman header.
Salah put the result beyond any doubt just five minutes after Botman's effort, though, clinically finishing his second penalty of the night after Dubravka had felled Diogo Jota, who won his side the spot kick despite going down a couple of seconds after skipping past the Magpies goalkeeper.
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Klopp was in awe of his side's counter-pressing over the 90 minutes, claiming that that aspect of his side's performance should be used as an example in schools, adding: "It was a sensational game from my team.
"We started extremely lively. Everyone saw Dubravka or we ourselves made sure the score didn't get too clear. Super game. I loved so many aspects of the game bar the goals we conceded.
"Unbelievable game. Unbelievable atmosphere. Counter-pressing wise it was for football schools. They have to watch that, take it and keep it. It was everything good. The show must go on. We now have five or six days so three training days. It will change the world from a freshness point of view."
Liverpool now take a break from their Premier League title charge to meet Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday, where Salah and Wataru Endo are set to miss out due to African Cup of Nations and Asian Cup commitments respectively.
Ben Knapton
