Update on Fabinho's Liverpool injury return

Liverpool expect Fabinho to miss their upcoming clashes with West Ham and Brighton, but crucially anticipate a return in time to face Manchester City on 7 February.

The Brazilian has taken on added importance within the Reds' squad due to his versatility this season. His ability to fill in at centre-back has been invaluable while Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez sit most of the campaign out due to injury, and he has delivered some exceptional performances at the heart of the back line.

However, he picked up a minor muscle issue ahead of the 3-1 victory over Tottenham, meaning Jordan Henderson had to play alongside Joel Matip - and latterly Nat Phillips after the Cameroonian went off injured - as a makeshift centre-back.

With Matip out, it means Phillips and teenager Rhys Williams are the only available natural centre-backs, so there was relief when Jurgen Klopp described Fabinho's latest injury as 'nothing'.

"It was nothing really. He just felt something and we had to take him out. And now he's out," he told BT Sport ahead of the Tottenham win. "It was not a challenge or whatever, it was not intense situations. It was just how things happen."

However it seems the issue is slightly worse than initially anticipated. The Athletic's James Pearce revealed the Brazilian is expected to miss Liverpool's encounters with West Ham on Sunday and in midweek against Brighton, with a view to returning in time to face City in a mammoth clash in a week's time.

The situation has added to the clamour for the club to sign a new central defender before the transfer window closes on Monday, something that looks increasingly unlikely as time goes on. Klopp has admitted the club are 'trying' to make a deal happen, but has maintained that they will only sign someone if it makes financial sense.

American defender Aaron Long is the latest realistic target to be linked, with a short-term loan deal on the agenda.