Philippe Coutinho has been ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League game against Huddersfield after straining an abductor muscle, The Times report.
The instrumental Brazilian is also a doubt for the Champions League tie against Maribor in midweek.
He could return for next weekend’s trip to West Ham but faces a race against time to be fit.
The news represents an untimely blow for Jurgen Klopp as he looks to ensure a recovery from last weekend’s 4-1 defeat at Spurs.
Klopp could turn to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in Coutinho’s absence, or hand Daniel Sturridge a start and play Roberto Firmino on the left.
A reshuffle is expected, but Danny Ward will not feature after a niggling back injury intensified.
The untimely lay-off scuppers Ward’s chances of challenging for the number one spot after an error-strewn display from Simon Mignolet last time out.
Coutinho and Ward join Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Nathaniel Clyne on the treatment table.
It has been suggested Mane could return ahead of schedule, but for the moment he is limited to light indoor training.
