Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after manager Jurgen Klopp revealed the Senegal international is set to have surgery on a knee injury.
The 24-year-old, who sustained meniscus damage in a challenge with Leighton Baines in last weekend's Merseyside derby, has had his knee in a brace all week and been walking on crutches.
Liverpool's medical staff were hoping they could avoid an operation but the decision has been taken to write off the forward's campaign and get him fit again for pre-season.
"I am pretty sure Sadio will need surgery but I am not 100 per cent sure when it will happen, but then it is clear 'season over'," said Klopp.
"That is what I half-expected when I saw him after the game. I felt he was lucky that not more happened but we are close enough to the end of the season that it will be pretty much impossible to play again this season.
"He will get a longer break and will be ready for next season. That is the only good news."
There was more bad news for Klopp with Philippe Coutinho emerging as a major doubt for Saturday's trip to Stoke.
The Brazil international was sick at half-time of Wednesday's draw with Bournemouth and has not been into the training ground since.
"Phil is still ill. He was not at Melwood yesterday and he will not be here today," added the Reds boss.
"He feels much better but we will have to see if we can bring him tomorrow."Stoke is not too far away so we will give him all the time he needs."
With so many players sidelined Liverpool's squad for tomorrow will be stretched to the limit with more under-23 players likely to come in to join those youngsters who have been included previously.
Striker Daniel Sturridge will be in the squad again, having been an unused substitute in midweek, but he has not played since February 4 and ideally Klopp would like to ease him back.
If Coutinho does not make it that could mean a first league start for 17-year-old Ben Woodburn who, even though he became the club's youngest goalscorer in November, has made just seven appearances.
It has left Klopp open to questions about why he did not strengthen in January when his side were still in the title race and why his squad is not deeper.
"I would love to replace a player with exactly the same quality, maybe his twin," added Klopp.
"But having too many players is not good for a squad because you kill development."In this moment we have not enough experienced players so we have to replace them with youth and less-experienced boys.
"I don't think we have a lot (of injuries) because of intensity. Yes it has been intense but intensity is nothing to do with Hendo's injury, Adam's injury (on international duty) was a little bit about this but we couldn't influence this, Phil's injury against Sunderland was a challenge, Sadio was the same.
"We learn from all these things but we cannot use this in this moment.
"We have to only think about the things we can influence now and not what we will do about it in the future."