Liverpool will be without Jeremie Frimpong until after the November international break, with manager Andoni Iraola confirming the defender has suffered a hamstring injury.
However, there is better news for midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who avoided serious hamstring damage and could return sooner than his Liverpool teammate.
Frimpong picked up the injury shortly after coming off the bench during Liverpool’s 2-1 Premier League victory over Brentford on Saturday.
The setback is expected to keep him out for several weeks, leaving Liverpool short on right back options as they prepare for a busy run of fixtures.
“Jeremie Frimpong is obviously a new muscle injury,” Iraola said (via Liverpoolfc.com)
“It happened, I think, in the second or third minute he was playing, difficult to predict and we will have to wait until he recovers.
“But it’s going to be difficult, I think, before the [November international] break. We will try, but it’s going to be difficult to have him.”
Liverpool have six matches before the next international break, starting with Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Villarreal at Anfield.
They will then host Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea in the fourth round of the EFL Cup and Arsenal before travelling to Fenerbahce and Crystal Palace.
Szoboszlai’s situation is more encouraging.
The Hungary international was forced off in the first half against Brentford, raising concerns about his fitness after missing Liverpool’s previous two matches because of hamstring tightness.
However, further examinations showed that he didn’t suffer significant damage. Iraola confirmed the midfielder’s condition hadn’t worsened but stressed that he still needed time to fully recover.
“Dom Szoboszlai is different,” Iraola added. “It’s not a new injury, I think it’s in the same place it was probably last week.
“He hasn’t worsened the injury, but probably we have to be a little bit more patient until he recovers fully.
“But it’s not like something now where he has to wait a lot of time to come back, he is more or less in the same situation he was last week.
“But we need more patience with him, but I appreciate the effort he did the other day, to be available, to want to contribute in a very difficult game that you know is going to be very physical – [against] one of the most physical teams, Brentford.”
Szoboszlai will miss the Villarreal match and is a doubt for Sunday’s game against Brighton.