Liverpool injury news: Martin Skrtel feared out for 3 months as Jurgen Klopp ponders January transfers

Liverpool have been dealt a massive injury blow ahead of a crucial festive period, with Martin Skrtel feared out for up to three months with a hamstring injury he picked up against Watford last weekend. The defender walked off the field in the second half leaving the Reds with only two fit central defenders in the squad.

According to The Mirror, the latest setback may force Jurgen Klopp to rethink his strategy in the market come January, with Skrtel joining Dejan Lovren, Joe Gome and Jon Flanagan in the sidelines following his latest setback. Mamadou Sakho was welcome into the side after missing more than a month with injury, but Skrtel's injury leaves the manager with only Kolo Toure as back-up to fill the vacant spot.

The medical staff at Liverpool are still waiting for results of a scan, but initial reports suggest that they are fearing the worst and have intimated Klopp of their diagnosis, which has left the forrmer Borussia Dortmund manager to look at possible defensive options in the window. Lovren is unlikely to be available until further into the New Year, while Gomez and Flanagan are expected to be out for rest of the season.

The Reds have been going through a bad patch in the league, having failed to secure a win in their last four games in all competitions, losing two and drawing the rest. Their latest loss to Watford came on the back of some awful goalkeeping by stand-in keeper Adam Bogdon, who dropped the ball in the opening five minutes to allow the newly promoted side to take an early lead. Odion Ighalo scored the second to put the game beyond doubt, as Klopp's men failed to get anything out of the fixture.

Their next game is against table toppers Leicester City, followed by games against Sunderland and West Ham, before going to the Britannia to take on Stoke City for the first leg of the finals of the Capital One Cup.