Philippe Coutinho is unlikely to feature for Liverpool again in 2016 with an anticipated six-week lay off.
Coutinho underwent a scan on the ankle injury which saw him stretchered off during the first half of last Saturday’s win over Sunderland at Anfield.
Fears that the Brazilian suffered ligament damage are understood to have been confirmed in a scan at Spire Hospital, where the playmaker arrived on crutches.
Although Coutinho will not require surgery, he is now expected to miss all of the Reds’ current Premier League fixtures between now and the end of the year.
They include Jurgen Klopp’s side taking on a Merseyside derby clash with Everton and a New Year’s Eve clash with fellow title challengers Manchester City.