Jurgen Klopp hopes youngsters step up in injury-plagued Liverpool

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp is hopeful that club's youngsters step up amid injury crisis in the squad.

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Liverpool's star defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez will miss the rest of the Premier League season after undergoing knee surgeries, with Nat Phillips and teenager Rhys Williams expected to provide cover and partner with Joel Matip.

The situation reminded Klopp of his stint in Borussia Dortmund when Neven Subotic and Mats Hummels were played together as teenagers, gaining the experience to form the bedrock of his defensive line in two title-winning seasons.

"We cannot compare situations really. I only want to mention it when I came to Dortmund in 2008, my two centre halves were turning 19 and 20 in Subotic and Hummels that winter," Klopp told reporters ahead of Sunday's game against Leicester City.

"We played with them for the entire time and they were talents. We have the talent here, they are young - 18, 19, 23 - and we have more experienced players, so we will see. Everybody has a chance.

"We have midfielders, not in the moment but hopefully in a couple of weeks, who can play the more defensive role as well."

According to Klopp, Liverpool may dip into the transfer market for reinforcements when the window reopens in January.

"I don't know what we can do in January to be honest. I have no idea," Klopp added.

"That we look for solutions, look at the transfer market, that is clear of course. But at the moment we have the situation we have."

(Inputs from Reuters)