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Liverpool will be without Daniel Sturridge for the next two games at least - with no guarantees the striker will be back in time for the derby against Everton either.

Jurgen Klopp refused to put a timescale on the England international’s return as he delivered a fitness update in his Melwood press conference ahead of Sunday’s clash with West Ham.

The Reds boss revealed Sturridge, 27, was still not training with the team after his calf injury though was back working on the grass today.

Asked when the striker might return, Klopp said: “No real idea. Until now he didn’t train, on the pitch maybe today, He’s starting football work, on the pitch, not with the team just with the rehab coach. So no idea when he is back.”

Klopp said there was nothing for him to do except “wait, that’s my job” but added that the situation had left the striker “not happy, but that’s the life of a footballer”.

“You can’t force things like this, never. It’s not important what the name of the player is, or the quality. As a manager you have to wait until they are back. And sometimes you have to wait a little bit longer because you decide then what you had in the past and I say ‘maybe a few days training would be nice before we start them again’.

“Of course it’s not perfect in our situation with Phil (Coutinho) and Danny (Ings) and all that stuff, but not to change.”

Those injuries to Coutinho and Ings have left Liverpoool light up front but Klopp refused to create pressure by putting timelines on Sturridge other than “hopefully he will be back as quick as possible”.

“If he is not in training with the team at the momnet, we don’t have to think about him for West Ham, not think about him for Middlesbroiugh but I have no idea.

“Now you can write, ‘what’s the game after Middlesbrough? Everton - oh! (laughing).”

The Liverpool boss confirmed that Sadio Mane and Joel Matip were back in full training.