Lovren out for three weeks with injury

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren will be out of action for up to three weeks, having aggravated a pelvic issue during the World Cup, manager Juergen Klopp said.

Lovren returned to Merseyside last week after helping Croatia to the World Cup final but has been unable to train with the first team.

And speaking after Liverpool beat West Ham United 4-0 in their Premier League opener, Klopp told reporters, “He is not fit. Let me say it like this, last year he already had a few problems with that but he could obviously play – and played really good. Now in the World Cup, (playing) three times (for) 120 minutes it got a bit worse, but I am pretty sure it will settle in the next one, two or three weeks. In that time he can probably for sure train already, but not the full programme, so that will then take time.”

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Lovren is likely to remain on the sidelines until after next month’s international break, which means he will miss Liverpool’s league matches against Crystal Palace, Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City.

However, the Croatian – who claimed that he was among the world’s best defenders last month – could struggle to tie down a regular starting spot this season even when fit. With Joel Matip back on form and Virgil van Dijk the clear first-choice centre-back at Anfield, Klopp could opt to use Lovren sparingly.