Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson added to the club’s defensive problems after going off injured in the first half of Saturday’s Merseyside derby.
He was replaced by the inexperienced Nathaniel Phillips after appearing to sustain a muscle injury. The England midfielder, 30, was playing in defence with several of the club’s first-choice centre-backs injured.
“It’s not good. It’s how it is,” said Reds boss Jurgen Klopp after the 2-0 defeat by Everton.
Henderson joins Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Fabinho on Liverpool’s injury list.
Matip has been ruled out for the remainder of the season while both Gomez and Van Dijk are also long-term absentees.
The loss of Henderson added to the disappointment of the derby defeat, as Everton won at Anfield for the first time in 22 years.
Liverpool have now lost four successive home matches for the first time since 1923, with the defending champions enduring their worst run of form of the season.
The Reds have won just two of their last 11 league games, and Klopp said: “There is no alternative but to keep going.
“You concede which is not cool, lose Jordan Henderson which is not cool and I feel the boys dealt with it quite well, could they deal with it better? Maybe. We will keep going.”
