The Belgian striker has been sidelined after picking up a hamstring injury during the win against Leicester City on Boxing Day and according to a latest update he will be out for another month.
Liverpool have been dealt with a fresh injury setback as striker Divock Origi recently underwent surgery on a persistent knee problem which will see the Belgian out of action for another month.
The 20-year-old striker has been warming the bench since suffering a slight hamstring problem in the 1-0 victory against Leicester City on Boxing Day. He was expected to make a comeback when Liverpool face Arsenal or Manchester United in Premier League this week and now a different knee injury has threw him back to the bench again.
However, Origi returned to Belgium for treatment and it is now suggested that it could be late February before he is available to Anfield boss Juergen Klopp again, which rules him out of at least five league fixtures along with the FA Cup third-round replay with Exeter and the second leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final against Stoke City.
The German manager is already without the service of strikers like Danny Ings and Daniel Sturridge because of injury. Danny Ings is out for the remaining of this season due to a ruptured cruciate and the Sturridge is still working on a training regime to improve his dreadful injury record.
The English striker has been following the specially designed programme after recovering from a hamstring injury picked up at Newcastle United on 6th December but will not make it to the squad to play against Arsenal on Wednesday. The injuries has left Klopp with only Christian Benteke as his recognised forward available, he may recall Roberto Firmino in a more advanced role. Despite scoring goals, Benteke has come in for severe criticism from Liverpool fans.
Klopp has a welcome boost ahead of the Arsenal fixture as both Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho are set to return against the Gunners.
The pair didn’t feature in the FA Cup match against Exeter but now expected to play tomorrow’s match, along with Jordon Ibe and captain Jordan Hederson.
“Do we have a senior centre back ready? 40 year old or something like this?! We’ll see. I think Kolo will be available, so we will have a senior centre back,” Klopp told.
“Mama (Sakho) wants to be available so we will see if we can use him. Martin (Skrtel) is still a few weeks, Dejan the time of injury is only 6 days, something like 8 or 12 maybe (before he can return), so it’s close.” The German tactician remains optimistic.