LIVERPOOL -- Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Roberto Firmino is back in training and Mamadou Sakho is closing in on a return, while he insists he will put out a strong side for Tuesday's EFL Cup third-round tie against Derby County.
Firmino, 24, sat out the 2-1 Premier League victory at Chelsea on Friday due to a "minor groin strain" but has now returned to training at Melwood.
"Roberto is in training," Klopp told a news conference ahead of the Derby clash. "We checked him yesterday. We checked him yesterday and this day again because the medical department told me he could've played [against Chelsea] but I heard the word 'risk' too often and I decided no.
"I'm very happy that it worked out but I was told if we give him three days then everything will be perfect. Today is the fourth day and he had already three, so he's in [contention for Tuesday]."
The Reds boss also said that Sakho, 26, is close to making a return to action.
Sakho has not played since April after he failed a UEFA doping test, before later being cleared.
Liverpool wanted the defender to depart the club on loan in the summer transfer window in order to get his career back on track, but he went on to reject a number of advances from Premier League clubs.
"[He is] still working on it," Klopp said. "He is close [to making a return]. He is still working but match fitness is a big difference and that's all.
"It's been a long, long time that he didn't play and that's for sure. All the other players didn't have that long a break and then it makes more sense that you really use the time and that's what we're working on."
A strong Liverpool side beat Burton Albion 5-0 in the previous round last month to set up the meeting with Nigel Pearson's team.
And Klopp is adamant that he will take a similar approach into Tuesday night's game in terms of squad selection.
"In my opinion, we only have strong lineups," Klopp added. "That's the good news and you can be sure that we will find a strong lineup again for this game.
"If a player had a little bit of an issue or whatever then of course we wouldn't go and risk him in this game. But it's not about resting 100 percent fit players -- it's a normal rhythm, it's a rhythm we want to have in the next season again with games every three and four days.
"It's not that we are not used to it. We know how to handle it, we know about recovery. But it's all about taking risks in football but not with players when they are not 100 percent fit.
"[There is] no decision made until now because it's still a short time after the [Chelsea] game. We have to wait a little bit. The session this afternoon will be important, only to see how they feel and I have to make decisions."