Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp facing potential defensive injury problems with Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip doubtful

Lovren, Matip and Emre Can are doubts for Saturday's tea-time trip to Leicester City

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Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, could return to Leicester City’s King Power Stadium on Saturday without his two first-choice centre-backs available.

Klopp, who saw his side knocked out of the EFL Cup at Leicester on Tuesday night, has been without Dejan Lovren for his side’s last two games as the defender attempts to recover from a back problem.

Joel Matip, Lovren’s defensive partner, could also miss Saturday’s evening kick-off against Leicester through injury, meaning Klopp would be forced to use Ragnar Klavan and Joe Gomez in the centre of his defence.

​Emre Can, who has deputised at centre-back with mixed results in the past, is also a doubt and the injury doubts come at a time when Klopp is facing scrutiny for his side's defensive frailties.

On Lovren’s injury, sustained while on international duty with Croatia, Klopp said: “[It's] nothing major, but enough to keep him out for two games and he’s not in training so far, so that means he’s a doubt for the weekend. It’s not too cool.

“It’s a completely different situation, but Joel Matip and Emre Can also have little bits from the last game so we have to see.

“Hopefully they can be back in training today or at least tomorrow, but we have to wait.”

If both Matip and Lovren miss Saturday's match, Klopp will hope at least one can return before his side's Champions League group game against Spartak Moscow on Tuesday.

One of the pair's potential stand-ins, Gomez, is suspended for Liverpool's next European game following his sending-off against Sevilla.