Liverpool turned down £ 330million of talent as the team hit with eight injuries

Liverpool’s injury crisis has taken its latest victim.

James Milner, so often the man who came to Jurgen Klopp’s rescue when injuries struck, suffered a hamstring problem in the Reds’ draw with Brighton.

The latest issue means the German no longer has up to eight first-team stars worth a total of £ 330million.

The Reds’ injury issues in defense have been well documented and they are currently without three of their top four backs.

Center-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez have to spend several months on the sidelines with knee injuries, while right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold hopes to return in December.

Klopp, concerned about the fitness of Andy Robertson, also wanted to take left-back against Brighton and replace him with summer signing Kostas Tsimikas.

However, with the Premier League yet to ratify the introduction of five substitutes – as is happening now in the EFL – Klopp had little choice but to keep the Scotland international on the pitch.

While it is true that Liverpool can boast of a 25-man squad, the quality of the players on the treatment table means they look awfully short, especially in midfield as the holiday calendar hectic looms.

This will include an evening kickoff, when they face title rivals Tottenham Hotspur on December 16, before another match at 12:30 p.m. three days later, when they meet Crystal Palace.

Swiss international midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, Guinea international Naby Keita and summer signing Thiago Alcantara are all on the injured list, joining long-missing Van Dijk and Gomez, as well as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain , while Milner is currently being evaluated after opposing Brighton.

Liverpool might have beaten Brighton if they could have fielded some of those names, especially Van Dijk, Gomez and Thiago.

For their visit to the South Coast, Klopp named Neco Williams as the right-back, with compatriot Nathaniel Phillips alongside makeshift center-back Fabinho.

And, while the Brazilian has mastered the post, it’s clear that the Premier League title holder has missed his tenacity in the center of the park.

Captain Jordan Henderson replaced Williams at half-time, having been excluded from appearances with Leicester City and Atalanta, while compatriot midfielder Takumi Minamino once again made a frustrated figure at Amex Stadium.

The Reds have Curtis Jones coming up and, of course, a plethora of options up front with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota.

But, with device congestion expected to continue, Klopp will need as many bodies as possible.