Jurgen Klopp has already revealed who is the answer to Liverpool's potential midfield selection crisis

It's a crisis that won't be long-lasting by the sounds of it. But Jurgen Klopp will scarcely be enthused by the prospect of potentially having five midfielders absent for Liverpool's clash against Brentford on Sunday.

The Reds face Toulouse in the Europa League this evening short of midfield options because of injuries. Curtis Jones is still troubled by a hamstring issue that was the consequence of irregular appearances while serving a three-match Premier League suspension. Ryan Gravenberch also hasn't travelled to the south of France as he has a niggling knee problem.

The pair won't be unavailable for a prolonged period, with Klopp declaring they'll be over their respective issues after the international break. With a daunting trip to Manchester City taking place immediately after the hiatus, that will allay fears.

Still, in what appears will be an ultra-competitive race for the top four, Liverpool can ill-afford to drop points in successive league games when Brentford visit Anfield. Being held to a 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Luton Town was a lacklustre result - especially as the Reds were unable to take advantage of Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Aston Villa all being beaten.

But to add to Klopp's difficulties, Alexis Mac Allister will miss the visit of the Bees as he serves a one-match suspension for picking up five yellow cards this term. Meanwhile, Thiago Alcantara will be sidelined for the rest of the year while Liverpool are not rushing Stefan Bajcetic's return.

That means there is a possibility that Klopp could be five midfielders against Brentford - which would leave only three senior options in Dominik Szbosbzlai, Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo. From the academy, James McConnell has been around the first team although there would be doubts around whether he'd be able to make the step up.

However, Klopp has already shown this season that there could be a temporary solution. While almost every Kopite will concur that Cody Gakpo's long-term role is not in the engine room, he is an auxiliary option. In pre-season, the Holland international featured in the middle of the park. Then in the opening two matches of the Premier League campaign, Gakpo was deployed in a deeper role, helping claim a 1-1 draw at Chelsea and a 3-1 victory against Bournemouth.

Klopp recently admitted that Liverpool had never earmarked Gakpo for a midfield berth after his £37 million arrival from PSV Eindhoven in January. He primarily served as a left winger, but soon adapted to the false number-nine position and was a key player as the Reds ended last term with a nine-match unbeaten run and what had seemed an unlikely fifth-place finish.

Yet the Anfield chief is adamant the 24-year-old has the quality to operate out of his favoured role. Klopp said: "Since Cody is here he played a variety of positions. And now starting the season he played in midfield. If we have everybody available it was never the plan to put Cody there, we just knew he can play there – and he can obviously. But it was for him again something new after the false nine last year and all these kinds of things, all of a sudden always new positions. But he’s a super-smart player so he can adapt to that. But we want him to adapt and then you have to perform immediately on the top level, and that was in the midfield position a bit difficult, but with a little bit more time he can play there perfectly, no doubt about that."

Klopp will be hoping that Gravenberch, who is already back running, can be available for Brentford's visit. If not then the former Bayern Munich man's fellow Dutchman may have to be prepared to be braced for a makeshift remit.