Cape Town - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has moved to ease concerns over the severity of the injury suffered by Sadio Mane, while also offering an update on several other players who are closing on first-team returns.
It was initially suggested that Mane, a £34 million signing from Southampton in the off-season, was facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a dislocated shoulder after being pictured leaving the club's Melwood training base with his arm in a sling.
However, the injury is not as bad as first feared, with Mane expected to make a quick recovery from a bruised shoulder.
Commenting on Mane's injury scare, Klopp told the club's website: "It was a situation, a challenge between two players up in the air, coming down and then Sadio fell on his shoulder but it's not that serious.
"In this moment, I have no idea if he could be available for the weekend or not, but I don't think it will take a long time.
"It would have been better without this situation, but things like this will always happen and you cannot avoid this."
James Milner, Daniel Sturridge and Lucas Leiva, meanwhile, are edging closer to a return to first-team action after taking part in training this week.
Klopp added: "In full training [we have] Millie and Daniel. Lucas is on a good way and made the warm up with us and then we let him do something else. Maybe today he is in team training, we will see."