Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott is facing up to a month out of action.
Elliott has featured just once at the start of Arne Slot’s Anfield reign, making a substitute appearance in last month’s opening home win over Brentford.
But the 21-year-old is now set to spend several weeks on the sidelines after experiencing discomfort while on international duty with England under-21s.
He returned to Merseyside to undergo assessment on the problem, which has been diagnosed as as fractured foot that will sideline him for several weeks.
The Reds are understood to be targeting Chelsea’s Premier League visit on October 20, which falls after the next international break, for Elliott’s return.
His absence is unfortunately timed ahead of Slot’s side beginning to fight on several fronts with their Champions League and Carabao Cup campaigns.
Elliott’s senior Three Lions prospects have also been dented by his setback with interim manager Lee Carsley calling up some of his former U21 players.
Another player who had been expected to receive a call-up from the former Everton midfielder was Curtis Jones, currently recovering from a groin issue.
Meanwhile Liverpool will assess Alexis Mac Allister’s adductor injury sustained during Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign upon his return to England.
The midfielder picked up the problem in training which ruled him out for his homeland’s cruising win over Chile last week as a precautionary measure.
Albiceleste head coach Lionel Scaloni allayed fears over Mac Allister’s fitness and he later made a cameo in Tuesday’s defeat to Colombia in Barranquilla.