In something of a theme for Liverpool this season, the win over Brentford came with mixed emotions for Jürgen Klopp. While it was a massive three points — not least because Manchester City later dropped two against Chelsea — it also came with a couple of major drawbacks that represent big concerns for the next few weeks.

Darwin Núñez was taken off at half-time as well, but that was a precaution. The bigger worries are about Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones, though no exact timeline has been put on a return just yet. Post-match, it was too soon to determine the full extent, even if Klopp admitted that neither ‘looked good’.

A pattern has emerged this season for Liverpool: when Wataru Endō headed off to the Asia Games, Alexis Mac Allister returned from injury; when Joël Matip was struck down, Jarell Quansah then truly emerged; and the same can be said now of Conor Bradley and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Reds have often had someone coming back just when someone else gets injured.

It was the same this weekend. As Jota was stretchered off, Mohamed Salah came on to replace him, playing for Liverpool for the first time since the first day of the year against Newcastle United. Andy Robertson is back now and looks up to speed again even though Alexander-Arnold on the opposite side of the defense is set to be absent for another two or three weeks.

As it stands, as many as 10 players are currently missing through injury, even after Salah came back from a hamstring issue, Bradley from compassionate leave, and Joe Gomez from illness. That has been roughly the number of absences that Klopp has had to cope with for weeks, and yet Liverpool remains at the top of the Premier League and in contention for three more trophies on top of that.

Losing Jota and Jones for any period of time — and neither looked like short injuries, with the impact on the Portugal forward’s knee making for particularly concerning viewing, not least because of his previous injury history — would be ideal. In fact, there are few blows that would be as big as losing that pair.

But Liverpool does still have a strong squad. Klopp’s facial expressions on the touchline said everything you need to know about the extent of the current injury list, but at least Salah and Bradley made returns. That double boost could be timely, because as has so often happened this season at Anfield, as soon as one player comes back, another suffers a setback.