LIVERPOOL -- Liverpool forwards Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino will miss Saturday's Premier League trip to Tottenham, but they could return for the home game against Southampton next weekend.
Belgium international Benteke has not played since picking up a hamstring problem during a 1-1 draw against Norwich on Sept. 20, while Firmino has been out with a back injury suffered as the Reds beat Carlisle in the Capital One Cup three days later.
New boss Jurgen Klopp has also confirmed that defender Joe Gomez is facing a lengthy absence with cruciate knee ligament damage sustained while playing for England's under-21 side on Tuesday.
However, he hopes Benteke and Firmino will be back quickly -- although neither is likely to be back in time for the Europa League match against Rubin Kazan next Thursday.
Klopp, preparing for his first game as Reds boss at White Hart Lane on Saturday, said: "Benteke and Firmino are back on the pitch. They are not team training, but they are getting better.
"I don't know exactly when they will come back, but I hope next week they will be back in team training. We will have to see how fit they are and how good they feel. I hope they will be back quickly.
"They won't be back for Saturday, and I don't think they'll be ready for Thursday. Maybe Sunday, but you have to ask me next week."
Gomez suffered a serious knee injury in an innocuous-looking incident as England beat Kazakhstan 3-0 in a European Under-21 Championship qualifier at Coventry on Tuesday.
England under-21 manager Gareth Southgate initially suggested the injury was not serious, but scans have confirmed that the 18-year-old faces a lengthy absence.
Klopp said: "I met Gomez for the first time this week. He's a young boy. He's tall. His muscles are in the right positions. Everything is fine. But he has an injured knee. It's an ACL.
"Now we have to make further diagnoses. We'll see if he gets operated on. From this day, he can count the days until he comes back. He's a very young guy. It was not the best day in his life.
"But I'm pretty good at waiting for players; young players especially. This is his home and we will do everything to get him back as soon as possible."