Liverpool injury update: Mo Salah, Ryan Gravenberch and Alisson Becker latest news ahead of Man City

It was a period in which Jurgen Klopp thought it would be impossible for Liverpool's quadruple ambitions to remain intact.

Yet the Reds boss has been pleasantly surprised. In fact, he's called it a 'really special' feat. Liverpool came through a period with a depleted squad with aplomb as their the fringe players and academy starlets stepped up emphatically.

"Four games in 11 days, come on. Five in 15. It's really tough. It's tough anyway, but with our squad situation it's super-tough," the Anfield boss said after Saturday's dramatic 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. "How the boys fought through that is really special. That we don't come here today and just play them out of the stadium and they don't find the exit anymore and stuff like this, that was clear. The fourth game was the toughest. It was really an unbelievable effort.

The Reds won the first piece of silverware of the season when triumphing over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. A place in the FA Cup quarter-finals is secured following a 3-0 victory over Southampton with 14 players absent, while they have refused to be overthrown from the summit of the Premier League table.

Liverpool required a dramatic 99th-minute goal to secure three points against Forest. Darwin Nunez made the perfect return from a muscle issue to head home the Reds' winner and sent the travelling Kopites euphoric at the City Ground.

Nunez was one of three players who gave Klopp a timely injury boost after the striker had missed the previous three games. Dominik Szoboszlai also came off the bench against Forest having been absent for the past six matches with a hamstring issue and Wataru Endo recovered from a heavy ankle knock suffered at Wembley.

The current injury list does remain lengthier than Klopp would hope for, though, as Liverpool head into another important week. It starts with a trip to Sparta Prague in the Europa League last 16 first leg on Thursday before they face modern-day rivals Manchester City for a seismic Premier League title showdown. Only one point continues to separate the sides.

Getting Mo Salah back would be a huge boost. Liverpool's talisman has made just two appearances since New Year's Day. Salah jetted off to the African Cup of Nations in January to represent Egypt yet suffered a hamstring injury. He made a return for the Reds off the bench in a 4-1 win over Brentford on 17 February, scoring and assisting in the triumph, but sustained a recurrence of his issue.

The Reds have therefore been cautious with Salah's issue as they do not want him to break down again. Before the Forest game, Klopp admitted the 31-year-old was close to a return to action. The Liverpool manager said: "I don’t think Mo is too far off, but he will not feature tomorrow and from there we have to go.

“It’s like touch and go but I think next week at any point it is possible. He is on the way back, definitely, but not there yet.”

Klopp may be hopeful he could introduce Salah off the bench against Sparta and get some minutes under his belt as he works back to fitness. Liverpool asked Egypt for Salah not to be selected in their squad for the international break latest this month but that request has not been accepted.

It will also be intriguing to see if Ryan Gravenberch can be back for either game, The midfielder was stretchered off in the first half of the Carabao Cup final after he was on the end of a late challenge from Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo. Gravenberch damaged ankle ligaments but his issue was not as serious as first feared. The Holland international was ruled out of both games last week and he'll again be assessed.

Curtis Jones is the next player who could be back for Liverpool after being forced off at Brentford. Assistant manager Pep Lijnders admitted that the 23-year-old will recover from his own ankle issue around the time of the international break.

Stefan Bajcetic has played only twice for the Reds this term. The 19-year-old is back training but awaits the green light to be reintegrated with his team-mates.

Key trio Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Alisson Becker (hamstring) and Diogo Jota (knee) are ruled out until after the hiatus of the campaign. Klopp admitted before Forest that Alisson had a 'serious' issue but is hopeful the goalkeeper can make a return before the end of the season. Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Joel Matip (knee) may not play again this term.