Martin Skrtel out for six weeks with hamstring injury

Jürgen Klopp has suffered another serious defensive setback at Liverpool after Martin Skrtel confirmed he will be sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury.

The Slovakia international limped off in the first half of Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Watford and had a scan on the injury on Tuesday. He later took to Instagram to deny rumours of a three-month absence, but confirmed a hamstring tear and tendon injury that will rule him out until early February.

Skrtel wrote: “After all rumours going around, I want to say the time I will spend on sideline wont be 3 months. After I suffered tear in my hamstring and tendon I will be out for 6 weeks. I will work hard on my recovery and will do everything to come back as soon as possible and even stronger than before! Thanks for your support.”

The 31-year-old will therefore miss Premier League games against Leicester City, Sunderland, West Ham United, Arsenal, Manchester United and Norwich City. He will also be absent for both legs of the Capital One Cup semi-final against Stoke City, plus the FA Cup third round tie at Exeter City.

Skrtel's absence comes with Dejan Lovren sidelined until January with a knee problem sustained against West Bromwich Albion and Mamadou Sakho only returning from his knee injury at Vicarage Road, where he produced a calamitous display. Joe Gomez's season-ending cruciate injury means Klopp has only Sakho and Kolo Touré, of his established central defenders, available to face the Premier League leaders at Anfield on Boxing Day.

The Liverpool manager has ear-marked the Schalke defender Joël Matip for next season’s rebuilding work at Anfield, with the Cameroon international out of contract in the summer and able to sign a pre-contract agreement from 1 January. However, in light of his current injury problems, Klopp could bring forward plans to bring Matip to Liverpool by bidding to sign the 24-year-old outright in January.

(Guardian service)