A hamstring issue led to Milner being withdrawn early from the Carabao Cup defeat at Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp has confirmed the 36-year-old will miss the next couple of games.

A calf injury is set to keep Firmino out as the manager said Liverpool will go “day by day” with the striker.

The Reds are waiting to discover if Trent Alexander-Arnold will be fit to face Villa after suffering from illness in recent days, although Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is available following his own virus.

Klopp admitted the England right-back is still yet to train however, making Joe Gomez a candidate to fill the role with Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip fit for Boxing Day.

Liverpool will be without Ibrahima Konate, who is due back in training on December 27 following the World Cup final.

Jordan Henderson is among the players set to return to the starting XI with Klopp saying he has not seen the World Cup having “a massive effect” on those who featured in Qatar.

Luis Diaz (knee), Arthur Melo (thigh) and Diogo Jota (calf) are long-term injury absentees.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Carvalho.