Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has delivered an update on the injury that forced Florian Wirtz to miss Sunday's dramatic 1-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest.
The Germany international was due to start the game against Vitor Pereira's side, but he unexpectedly dropped out of the starting lineup mere minutes before kickoff, seemingly due to injury.
Curtis Jones replaced the £116m signing for the contest at the City Ground, which the Reds won 1-0 thanks to a last-gasp Alexis Mac Allister strike, shortly after he had another freak goal disallowed.
However, Liverpool were largely toothless in attack without the in-form Wirtz, and concern quickly turned to the former Bayer Leverkusen star amid fears of a spell on the sidelines.
Slot allayed those concerns during his post-match press conference, though, explaining that Wirtz had been suffering back pain in the warm-up but also stressing that the issue did not seem serious.
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz suffered back injury, Arne Slot confirms
© Imago / Every Second Media
"We don't think it is very serious, but he felt his back too much during the warm-up to start," Slot said. "He wasn't able to be 100% or even close to 100%.
"I think after being in this league for six, seven or eight months, he now understands no matter how good you are on the ball, you need to be 100% at this level.
"So, we decided not to play him. We hope and expect he will be able to be with us again next week but you never know how things work out."
Liverpool fans will nevertheless be sweating over Wirtz's fitness for their home clash with West Ham United on February 28, three days before Slot's next away day at basement side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wirtz was seen cutting a largely glum figure on the City Ground sidelines as Liverpool laboured to a smash-and-grab win over Vitor Pereira's side, one that brought them level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United in the Premier League table.
However, the Reds remain below the Blues and the Red Devils due to their inferior goal difference, and Michael Carrick's side can restore their three-point advantage with victory over Everton on Monday.
When will Liverpool's other injury victims be back?
© Imago / Action Plus
The newest face in Liverpool's treatment room should also be the next cab off the rank, as there is already hope that Wirtz will return in time for the showdown with Nuno Espirito Santo's side at the end of the month.
The German could potentially be one of two fitness boosts for the holders next weekend, as Jeremie Frimpong may be given the green light to return from his thigh injury against the Irons too.
However, Alexander Isak's leg fracture will not clear up until late March or the start of April at the earliest, while Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni's knee injuries will take months to heal.