Mohamed Salah could miss the next fortnight for Liverpool through injury.
Salah has been the Reds’ leading scorer this season after taking his tally to 23 in all competitions with a brace in Saturday’s win over Leicester City.
No player in Anfield history has scored more goals than the Egypt international’s current run of form heading into the second half of the season.
But Salah faces the threat of a brief lull to his Liverpool career as he recovers from a knee problem sustained during the weekend game with the Foxes.
He is expected to be absent for the New Year’s Day trip to Burnley and could also miss Friday’s highly-anticipated FA Cup third round clash with Everton.
Jurgen Klopp admitted after the Leicester win that Salah would need a rest at some point despite being unclear about the extent of the forward’s injury.
He said: “I don’t know in this moment exactly (what it is) but he was limping. That’s never a good sign, to be honest.
“We have to see what his problem was. We will see what he can do for the next game.
“After a game the medical department tells me who is available for the next training but this time – because we don’t train we have recovery – they will tell me who is available for playing again and that’s all I need to know.
“For me it is the most strange situation. It is the third time this year (playing twice in three days) and people think ‘Wow, how will you do that?’.
“The good news is Burnley had to play Saturday as well. I don’t think they got the point (in the goalless draw against Huddersfield) without running so they have the same thing to do and that is then fair play.
“It is not the best thing to do but it is absolutely OK and we will be ready because we have to be ready.”
Doubts over Salah’s participation in the 230th Merseyside derby had already existed as he prepares to attend the CAF Awards next Thursday.
The 25-year-old is expected to be named African Player of the Year at the gala ceremony in the Ghanaian capital Accra just 24 hours before Everton’s visit.
Sadio Mane is also shortlisted for the accolade and expected to join Salah in making the 9,000-mile round trip.