Liverpool injury news: Dejan Lovren will miss majority of Christmas period following knee issue

Dejan Lovren is expected to miss three weeks for Liverpool following the knee injury he sustained in the draw with West Bromwich Albion, according to the Croatian football federation. The former Southampton defender will miss most of the busy festive period, but the news still comes as a fillip to Jurgen Klopp, after original reports suggested he would face an extended period on the sidelines.

The German manager said after the game he hoped the injury was "not too serious", but refused to set a timeline for his return.

"We don't know too much about it. It's a cut, as everybody could see in the dressing room," said Klopp after the game, as quoted by the Daily Express. "We hope it's not too serious, but we have to wait for the scan. We have to wait overnight to see if it becomes swollen or not."

Reports later claimed that Lovren was going to be on the sidelines for at least one month. Liverpool face Watford, Leicester City, Sunderland and West Ham United over the course of the Christmas period.

The Reds are yet to make an announcement but the Croatian football federation have advanced through an official statement on its website that Lovren may return to action in two or three weeks.

Having had contact with the Liverpool medical department, they claim that scans reveal that the defender has not suffered any structural damage in his knee.

Meanwhile, according to the Liverpool Echo, Mamadou Sakho is set to return to for the game against Watford, having been out of action since the defeat against Crystal Palace on 8 November. Reports claim the France international is back in full training and could replace Lovren in the heart of central defence. Sakho had been the first-choice for the role until his injury concerns kicked in.