Jurgen Klopp cautious over Adam Lallana returning for Liverpool against Sevilla

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says Adam Lallana is "knocking on the door" to return to the first-team but insists the midfielder will not be rushed back ahead of matches against Sevilla and Chelsea.

Lallana is yet to feature this season due to a thigh injury, with Klopp deciding against including him on the bench for Saturday's (18 November) Premier League clash with former club Southampton. The 29-year-old was named in Liverpool's travelling squad for Tuesday's Champions League group stage match against Sevilla but Klopp insists the club will continue to be cautious over his return.

"He is getting nearer and nearer, but we need him for the rest of the season and not for the next weeks," Klopp told Liverpool's official website. "He is really knocking on the door and it is fantastic that he is back."

A squad of 23 travelled to Spain on Monday with Liverpool planning to remain in Seville Wednesday morning to hold a training session – with Klopp explaining that is the reason why such a big group of players made the journey.

Joel Matip was not among them, however. The defender missed Saturday's 3-0 win over Southampton with a thigh problem and remained at the club's training facilities at Melwood to continue his rehabilitation.

While he will miss Tuesday's clash at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, Klopp is hopeful the centre-half will be ready in time for the visit of the defending Premier League champions this weekend.

"The squad looks good. They are pretty much all here from the normal squad, apart from Joel. He is in Liverpool and full training, so all good," Klopp said.

"He is good, I think there will be a big chance he will be ready for Saturday, but there was no chance for this game – it was a little bit too quick but it is all good."

Loris Karius will return in goal on Tuesday with Klopp mulling over a few more selection dilemmas ahead of kick-off.

"Then there are specific questions that the other team will ask us, so you look and say, 'they're strong on this and strong on that, so what can we do?' Then you make the line-up.

"The last game was not that intense, so we could go with the same line-up for sure – but 100% we will not, because Loris will play! So, yes – we will make a change."