Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says the club desperately need Takumi Minamino.

Minamino came on as a substitute in Sunday's FA Cup win over Shrewsbury Town due to injury.

Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are both away at AFCON, and Klopp says Minamino will play a very important role for his side.

"Taki was injured, so that's all," Klopp said. "Nothing serious but serious enough that he couldn't play, so that's how it is.

"It's not the longest rehab in his life hopefully – or maybe it was the longest rehab hopefully then.

"But he is back and very important for us, very, very important – especially when we have a lot of games coming up and, how we all know, that two of our main guys up front are not here.

"It's good. I liked Taki a lot when he came on. He's actually in a really good shape but, of course, the injury interrupted it slightly, that's how it is. But now he's back, it's good and we need him desperately."