Jurgen Klopp has dismissed criticism of his transfer policy in the wake of Sadio Mane's season-ending knee injury.

The Senegal international limped out of the win over Everton last weekend and following extensive medical tests has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with Klopp "pretty sure" he will require surgery.

Losing such an influential player - Liverpool have failed to win any of the five Premier League games the forward has failed to start this term - is an undoubted blow to the Reds' hopes of a top four finish.

Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Alisson - 7 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 9, 2019 Liverpool's Alisson during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. PHIL NOBLE REUTERS Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings James Milner - 8 epa07355863 Liverpool's James Milner (L) in action with Bournemouth's Ryan Fraser (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Bournemouth held at the Anfield in Liverpool, Britain, 09 February 2019. EPA/PETER POWELL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications PETER POWELL EPA Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Joel Matip - 8 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 9, 2019 Liverpool's Joel Matip in action with Bournemouth's Joshua King Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. JASON CAIRNDUFF Action Images via Reuters Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Virgil van Dijk - 7 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) Rui Vieira AP Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Andrew Robertson - 8 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 9, 2019 Liverpool's Andrew Robertson during the match REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. PHIL NOBLE REUTERS Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Georginio Wijnaldum - 8 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 09: Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on February 9, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Alex Livesey Getty Images Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Fabinho - 7 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 09: Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with teammate Fabinho during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on February 9, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Alex Livesey Getty Images Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Naby Keita - 7 Liverpool's Guinean midfielder Naby Keita (L) vies with Bournemouth's English midfielder Dan Gosling (R) during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 9, 2019. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images PAUL ELLIS AFP/Getty Images Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Mohamed Salah - 8 Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (C) celebrates after scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 9, 2019. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images PAUL ELLIS AFP/Getty Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Roberto Firmino - 8 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 9, 2019 Liverpool's Roberto Firmino in action with Bournemouth's Jefferson Lerma Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. JASON CAIRNDUFF Action Images via Reuters Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Sadio Mane - 7 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 09: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Sadio Mane of Liverpool scores the opening goal and celebrates during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on February 9, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) John Powell Liverpool FC via Getty Images Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Artur Boruc - 6 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 9, 2019 Bournemouth's Artur Boruc reacts after conceding their second goal scored by Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. JASON CAIRNDUFF Action Images via Reuters Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Adam Smith - 6 Bournemouth's English defender Adam Smith prepares to take a throw-in during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 9, 2019. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images PAUL ELLIS AFP/Getty Images Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Steve Cook - 6 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 9, 2019 Liverpool's Sadio Mane in action with Bournemouth's Steve Cook Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. JASON CAIRNDUFF Action Images via Reuters Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Nathan Ake - 6 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 09: Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool scores his team's second goal under pressure from Nathan Ake of AFC Bournemouth during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on February 9, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Alex Livesey Getty Images Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Diego Rico - 7 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 09: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUIN ON SUNDAY OUT) Mohamed Salah of Liverpool with Diego Rico of Bournmouth during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Bournemouth at Anfield Stadium on February 9, 2019 in Liverpool , United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) John Powell Liverpool FC via Getty Images Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Jordon Ibe - 5 Bournemouth's Jordon Ibe, left, is challenged by Liverpool's Andrew Robertson during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) Rui Vieira AP Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Dan Gosling - 6 epa07355913 Bournemouth's Dan Gosling (L) in action with Liverpool's Naby Keita (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Bournemouth held at the Anfield in Liverpool, Britain, 09 February 2019. EPA/PETER POWELL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications PETER POWELL EPA Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings Jefferson Lerma - 6 Bournemouth's Colombian midfielder Jefferson Lerma has an unsuccessful shot during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on February 9, 2019. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. 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But Klopp rejects the idea that his team are suffering because he did not sign any players during the January transfer window.

“I would love to replace a player who is injured with someone of exactly the same quality, maybe his brother or his twin.

“But having too many players is not good, because you kill development for players.

“In this moment, we have not enough experienced players so we have to replace them with youth, but in this moment, we can’t change it, so why should I think about this?”

Liverpool have suffered a lot of injuries to key players this season, but Klopp has made clear that is nothing to do with either the intense style of play or a congested fixture list that hit the club during January.

He pointed out that serious injuries to Coutinho, sustained against Sunderland in November, and to Mane last weekend were both the result of challenges rather than muscle problems.

Mane's injury is a big blow to Liverpool's top four hopes (Getty)

He said: “The injuries are not because of intensity. Intensity is nothing to do with Hendo’s injury, maybe Lallana’s was but we could not have influence on this.