Liverpool's injury problems in attack are easing. Daniel Sturridge returned on Monday night, performing a crucial role in the 1-0 victory over Everton. Philippe Coutinho should be in the squad when Manchester City visit Anfield on New Year’s Eve a week on Saturday.

Now, the issue Jürgen Klopp faces relates to availability. Sadio Mané, who scored Liverpool's injury time winner at Goodison Park is expected to fly to Senegal to meet up with his national team squad on January 3 ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon.

Since becoming the most expensive signing in African history by joining Liverpool from Southampton for £34million last summer, Mané has emerged as a key figure in Klopp’s team, the player with the speed and ability to turn a bad pass into a good one; someone that enables Liverpool to their turn possession football into a counter-attack.

His loss could be felt even greater than Coutinho’s recent absence because he offers something that others in Klopp’s squad do not and Klopp is currently looking at his options in the transfer market as a consequence.

“It will not be easy for me to go with Senegal next month,” Mané admitted. “I would love to carry on playing with my team-mates and help my team, but I think they will understand because it is my country and it is my dream.”

Senegal have group games on January 15 with Tunisia, on January 19 with Zimbabwe and January 23 with Algeria. Should Senegal progress to the quarter finals and get knocked out there, he will be available to Liverpool again from January 30 at the latest. The semi-finals mean February 3; the final, held in Libreville, is scheduled to take place on February 5, with a third-place play off the day before.

Senegal are one of the favourites in the competition. Should they go all the way, he could miss as many as seven Liverpool games: an FA Cup tie at home to Plymouth Argyle or Newport County, both legs of the League Cup semi-final with Southampton, trips to Manchester United and Hull City and then home fixtures against Swansea City and most crucially, perhaps, the current table-toppers, Chelsea.

Mané is insistent Liverpool can deal with his absence. He believes Sturridge’s return to fitness to be hugely significant.

Everton vs Liverpool player ratings Show all 23 1 /23 Everton vs Liverpool player ratings Everton vs Liverpool player ratings everton-vs-liverpool.jpg Who stood out in the Merseyside derby? Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 1-pickford.jpg Produced a couple of great saves in the first half to deny Dominic Solanke and James Milner. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 2-coleman.jpg Instigated the game’s first real flash-point as he squared up to Danny Ings after a foul by the Liverpool man. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 3-jagielka.jpg Produced a couple of full-blooded challenges in the second half that really got the crowd going. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 4-keane.jpg A solid display in front of the watching Gareth Southgate. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 5-baines.jpg As dependable as ever on the left side of Everton’s back four and nearly claimed an assist with a dangerous cross late on. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 6-rooney.jpg Exerted little influence and was lucky to escape a booking for a cynical lunge on Dominic Solanke. Hooked shortly after the break, much to his visible anger. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 7-schneiderlin.jpg Looked tired in midfield. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 8-davies.jpg Carved open Liverpool’s defence with a through ball to Baines, whose subsequent cross into the box almost provided the opener 15 minutes from time. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 9-walcott.jpg Anonymous in the first 75 minutes but was perhaps Everton’s biggest threat in the closing stages. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 10-tosun.jpg Missed a gilt-edged chance late on as he put his header wide from point-blank range after good work by Theo Walcott. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 11-bolasie.jpg Almost opened the scoring with a stunning long-distance strike but Loris Karius thwarted him with a superb fingertip stop. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 12-karius.jpg Came up with one of the saves of the season to deny Bolasie a stunning first-half opener. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 13-clyne.jpg Another solid outing as he continues his comeback from a serious back injury. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 14-lovren.jpg Could’ve cost Liverpool the game late on as he got caught the wrong side of Cenk Tosun, which allowed the Everton man a run at goal. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 15-van-dijk.jpg A commanding presence at the back as always. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 16-klavan.jpg Almost sliced the ball into his own net from a teasing Everton cross in the first half. Not a left-back. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 17-wijnaldum.jpg Classy in the centre of the park and could’ve played his way into contention for a starting berth at the Etihad on Tuesday. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 18-henderson.jpg Will be gutted to be missing next week’s game against City through suspension but he didn’t let his disappointment show today. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 19-milner.jpg Backed up his European display against City with another solid outing and would have scored were it not for Pickford’s heroic first-half display. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 20-ings.jpg A decent outing for the injury-plagued attacker but he never threatened Jordan Pickford’s goal. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 21-solanke.jpg Put an early header wide and should’ve scored a few minutes later when he was denied from close range by Pickford. Getty Everton vs Liverpool player ratings 22-mane.jpg Looked to be playing within himself. Perhaps had one eye on Tuesday night. Getty

“I will be wishing them good luck, but without me the team will be the same, even better I think,” he said, generously. “They will cope. Coutinho will come back. [Joel] Matip will come back and Sturridge is back now. I am very happy for him, it has not been easy for him being out, he has had a lot of injuries. But you know he can deliver important performances for the team. That is why the team will be strong.”

Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are the Premier League clubs competing at the top that are likely to be unaffected by international call-ups next month.

While Arsenal will have to do without Mohamed Elneny, the Egyptian midfielder, Manchester United’s Eric Bailly could get selected for Ivory Coast.