Jurgen Klopp says he has "no idea" if injury-plagued striker Daniel Sturridge will be ready for Liverpool's Premier League opener against Arsenal.
Sturridge did not play in the Reds' 4-0 win over Barcelona on Saturday, and did not travel to Germany for the subsequent 4-0 defeat to Mainz on Sunday.
Asked for a one-word answer on Sturridge's availability for Sunday's clash at the Emirates Stadium, the candid Klopp replied: "No idea. That's a two-word answer!"
Sturridge has endured a frustrating few years at Anfield, making a mere 43 appearances over the last two seasons due to a variety of issues.
The English international's current hip complaint only adds to a spate of Liverpool absences, with Dejan Lovren and James Milner picking up injuries against Barcelona, while Marko Grujic was a 39th-minute substitute against Mainz.
Klopp maintained Grujic's sustained ankle issue is "nothing serious" but Lucas Leiva, Joe Gomez, Mamadou Sakho and Joel Matip are all unavailable.
Nevertheless, Klopp is adamant whoever he picks will be ready for Liverpool's first game of the Premier League campaign.
"We will be ready for the first game next week, for sure, but if Arsenal was the best game of the season for us, there would be something wrong with the season," he said.
"We still have to go on. This is only the first game. We cannot decide the whole season in one game, but we need to be as good as possible. And that is what we will be, 100 per cent.
"But I am not in the mood to say this is our final shape."
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