Liverpool have been dealt a major blow after a scan on the knee injury Luis Diaz suffered in the loss against Arsenal on Sunday returned bad news.
Diaz had to be substituted during the defeat in north London and widespread reports now say that he is set to be sidelined until December. He will therefore miss the Reds' next 10 games. Although no surgery is required on the problem, Liverpool will now be without one of their brightest sparks until after the World Cup.
The 25-year-old winger has been a revelation since joining the club from Porto in January, returning 10 goals and eight assists in 38 matches across all competitions. He has helped replace Sadio Mane, who left for Bayern Munich in the summer, but will now spend around six to eight weeks in the treatment room.
Speaking after the game in his post-match press conference, Jurgen Klopp said: : “Lucho we had to change before [half-time]. [It's] something with the knee, not good.
“He will have a scan and then we will know more. I have no idea about the extent and then on top of that Trent [Alexander-Arnold] is bad as well with the ankle.
“[He] twisted the ankle, not good. Trent never, in seven years, went off if he could have played on. He was in too much pain, it started swelling immediately, so we will have to see.”
Colombia have not qualified for the upcoming World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar next month, so the injury will not affect his nation's chances at the tournament. The competition starts on Monday, November 20 and runs until Sunday, December 18.
The winger underwent a scan on Monday and the doctors' report suggests he should be fit to return to action when the Premier League resumes on Boxing Day.
Defeat by Arsenal on Sunday left Liverpool 10th in the Premier League, having won just two of their opening eight matches. They are 14 points adrift of the Gunners, who have set the early pace.
Klopp's side face Rangers next in the Champions League on Wednesday at Ibrox before hosting Manchester City and West Ham in the Premier League. They also face Nottingham Forest, Ajax, Leeds United, Napoli, Tottenham, Derby County and Southampton before the break for the World Cup.
