Daniel Sturridge is out injured with a swelling muscles after manager Jurgen Klopp decided it would be best to build his resistance with an intensive fitness routine.

Dejan Lovren has urged Liverpool to show a stronger mental streak as they seek to recover from their latest disappointment in Tuesday's League Cup semi-final first leg at Stoke City.

The No. 15 has, in the manager's words, been working through a "mini pre-season" in recent weeks but he will only be considered for a comeback once he has completed a number of consecutive training sessions.

"We can't be too disappointed though, because looking at things in perspective those lads produced two superb performances in a matter of days against Manchester United and Everton and picked up six points", he said, according to Stoke City's official website. But if we try to go to the next level then winning a trophy would probably be the next step.

And Hughes said: "If everything goes for us we could take the tie away from Liverpool in this first instance".

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Daniel Sturridge is no closer to a return to action and will not feature in Liverpool's two upcoming cup matches.

On Boxing Day, Sturridge declared himself fit. "Most importantly, though, they need a centre-half because I think they look vulnerable".

"We hope it's not serious and we don't have to wait, because we can not do more. What we're doing now is trying to fill his body with energy".

"We don't score enough goals, let's see what happens".

"That's another story", he says with a half-grimace-half-smile that suggests he has compartmentalised if not forgotten it. "It was their first one for almost 30 years by the way".

The German coach said: "The only one reason in tournaments like this is to win it and that's of course our target. Simon Mignolet is a really good goalkeeper".

He said Zidane had always tackled the biggest challenges in football with "talent and dedication" and noted that the Frenchman knew numerous players well from his role as assistant coach under Benitez's predecessor Carlo Ancelotti.

Adam, who arrived at Stoke after their one and only Europa League campaign in 2011/12, says: "Some people say they are disappointed when they qualify for it. Some clubs find it hard to handle, but you just have to utilise your squad well". When we had the ball in and around the box we didn't shoot at the right moment, didn't pass at the right moment, didn't play the ball, had no consistency in our crosses and things like this.