Liverpool vs Swansea: Jurgen Klopp unsure if Daniel Sturridge will be available, warns him of 'serious pain'

Klopp was unable to confirm if Sturridge would miss Sunday's visit of Swansea to Anfield but did rule out Jordan Henderson

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp has stressed that Daniel Sturridge will have to “adapt to serious pain” after making plans to be without the striker as well as captain Jordan Henderson for this weekend’s Premier League visit of Swansea.

Sturridge was forced to pull out of the Europa League clash against Bordeuax on Thursday just hours before kick-off after feeling discomfort in his foot, and Klopp believes that his return to the first-team will not be a straight-forward one given the length of time he has spent on the sidelines recently due to injury.

The 26-year-old has missed nearly as many games for Liverpool as he has played in since joining the club in 2013, with his absence on Thursday meaning the striker has sat out 68 matches compared to his 70 appearances.

Last season, Sturridge featured in just 18 games which came off the back of his most successful season of his career in 2013/14, but Klopp believes that the repeated injuries that the former Chelsea and Manchester City forward keeps picking up are all part of the return to playing.

"The situation is Daniel was very often injured in the last few months, and maybe years, so it is normal when you get back in training usually it is not the quality, but you need training," he said.

"Your body has to learn to adapt to new intensities of training and in this time you have to learn what is serious pain and what is only pain,” said Klopp.

"Everyone wants him back on the pitch but we all have to learn.

"Now we can say (his latest issue) is not that serious but it is not possible to go on as before so we have to react to every situation - which is normal for injuries.

"When Daniel comes back usually after this long break you would train five weeks in a row and play only in friendly games.

"That would be the best, but of course we know the world is not perfect so we have to try the best and the quickest.

"It is a really long period so now we have to stay patient I am sorry to say: sorry for you, sorry for me, sorry for him."

Klopp also spoke on the return to action of Henderson, who has been absent since the second match of the season after suffering a broken foot in August. Klopp revealed that while the England midfielder has returned to training, he will not be risked until he proves his fitness.

"He wants (to play) but we have to wait," said Klopp.

"I am waiting for him, that is what I told him. For a player like him he is always (knocking) on the door saying 'Give me five minutes, 10 minutes'.

"I like this, but it is not always the best thing to do. He has a big step ahead of him now.

"Everything we do is 120 per cent so you need to be prepared for this. Players like Hendo have to be fit, not only 50 per cent.

"If he is in this shape we can use him and he can help us."

Jordan Henderson comes off the field against Bournemouth

With Sturridge set to miss the visit of Swansea, Klopp could look to give Christian Benteke another start after he led the Reds to victory over Bordeaux with the winning goal as well as winning a penalty and seeing two goals ruled out.

But Klopp has reservations about playing Benteke from the start for a second game in three days, given he has only just returned from an injury of his own.

"I don't know in this moment if Christian is capable of playing two games in three days. We will have to decide," he said.

"But it is not the most difficult situation at this moment with the strikers because we have Christian, Divock (Origi) and Roberto (Firmino) who are good.

"We need all of them for this big number of games."