Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Liverpool have yet to receive further clarity on the club versus country row which has escalated over Joel Matip.
Matip was called up by Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations despite not playing for his country since imposing a personal international exile in 2015.
But the Reds defender could face potential FIFA sanctions for refusing to be a part of Hugo Broos’ 35-man squad for the tournament taking place in Gabon.
Anfield officials have sought clarification from world football’s governing body as to whether Matip will be eligible to feature for them after snubbing Cameroon.
Klopp had considered risking FIFA sanctions by including the 25-year-old for selection in Wednesday’s FA Cup third round replay with Plymouth Argyle.
But with a ruling expected on Friday, the Liverpool manager conceded that he is unsure whether he would be allowed to field Matip at Home Park tomorrow.
He said: “I was not a lot of times in my life in a situation like this – not even in a similar situation.
“I don’t want to blame anybody – that’s really important – but I think our supporters need [and] deserve to know about the process we are in.
“In this moment, we are sure we did nothing wrong. We are sure Joel Matip [also] did nothing wrong. He didn’t play for Cameroon since 2015.
“It means since he is here, he was not a Cameroon national player. He is not in the squad of Cameroon so he could not play for sure for Cameroon.
“But in this moment, we have no 100% guarantee that he could play for us. That’s the situation.
“In the last few days it was getting really busy for all departments who were involved from LFC.
“The procedure is that I would actually consider to line him up tomorrow but I don’t know if I can. That’s the thing.
“From a sport side it would make absolute sense; a perfect game for him and all that stuff but I’m not sure if I can.
“FIFA told us that on Friday they will decide if they open a case about it or not.
“I accept rules in life and wherever but I think they always should be based on human sense. For me now, not as a lawyer or a legal person, it’s pretty difficult.
“We have a running season and if he would not have been injured – but he was, obviously – then he couldn’t play since January 2.
“If we go to Friday and if FIFA opens a case then, but I don’t know.
“I don’t think they will because we are really sure that everything is all right, then it would be what they already told us and it would be between seven and ten days until we get a decision.
“In England and in our situation, that would mean [he missed] United, Plymouth, Swansea then another seven days and another two games.
“And at the end if the result is what we think it will be, even if they open a case, that everything is okay with Joel then he didn’t play eight games – or let me say four because he was injured before – without doing anything wrong.
“As a human being it’s unbelievably hard from our side.
“We conceded an offside goal at Man United doesn’t feel good but I’m kind of used to it. Sometimes you score an offside goal and sometime you concede it. It is like it is.
“In this case we cannot do more and that’s really hard.”
“Of course he’s not happy about it. I told him already before the United game, he was in training and I told him ‘Sorry, I can’t pick you’,” added Klopp.
“That’s what we all have to think about [but] we are not the only club in this moment in this situation.
“Schalke in Germany is probably similar, I don’t know exactly.
West Brom, of course; I’m not really informed but Ajax Amsterdam, the goalkeeper there was suspended – or not now he can play – I don’t know exactly.
“it’s really difficult to get in contact with the people and that’s the situation.”