Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has argued his side will cope without the injured Sadio Mane after the Senegal international was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Klopp confirmed on Friday that Mane is likely to require surgery after falling awkwardly in the recent Merseyside derby and will be unavailable for Liverpool’s remaining seven league games.

Mane’s absence could prove disastrous for the side's hopes of securing a top-four finish. Liverpool have failed to win any of the five league games the forward has missed this term and with Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana both struggling with injury, Klopp now faces a growing selection crisis.

But the German has remained defiant that Liverpool will come to terms with such a setback.

Speaking ahead of his side’s trip to Stoke on Saturday, Klopp insisted his men proved their ability to create chances without Mane during Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.

“I know everyone was talking before about how we miss Sadio Mane and we do miss Sadio Mane but he doesn't help us too much in defending and we created enough chances to have scored more,” the German said.

“Again, around the second goal, Sadio would not have been too much involved in defending so the influence of missing Sadio was not too big.

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. 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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. 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“That's why it felt like it did at the end. It could have been good. It could have been the perfect game in terms of the result, a bad start, coming back at this stage of the season with a sick Phil [Coutinho] and a tired Roberto [Firminio], all that stuff.

“It could have been the perfect result but unfortunately between perfect and difficult to accept – sometimes it is only a second. That's how it was in this game.”

With Mane, Henderson and Lallana all unavailable for Saturday’s clash at Stoke, Klopp will now be forced to consider Liverpool’s up-and-coming youngsters - but suggested he won’t be rushing into any decisions.

“I love giving these boys an opportunity but it has to be the right situation and the game against Bournemouth didn't look like the perfect moment to give them the responsibility for the rest of the game,” Klopp continued.

“Everybody saw it. It was not perfect and I made the decision. The young boys give us a few options – it's about Ben [Woodburn], Trent [Alexander-Arnold], Harry [Wilson], Marko Grujic – and these are the boys we have to think about but also about the position, who can help us where and can we create a situation where they can really perform?”

Sadio Mane opened the scoring in the 228th Merseyside derby, only to later leave injured (Getty)

As for Stoke, Xherdan Shaqiri is expected to return to Mark Hughes’ starting XI for the first time since January.

The Swiss has been battling calf problems but Hughes hopes his return will give him a fully-fit squad to choose from against Klopp's men.