Liverpool's Christian Benteke to miss Merseyside derby at Everton
Liverpool striker Christian Benteke is set to miss
the Merseyside derby after a scan on a hamstring
strain showed he is likely to be out for two weeks,
sources have told ESPN FC.
Benteke, 24, will be unavailable for Saturday's
Premier League home match against his former
club Aston Villa, having suffered the injury as the
Reds drew 1-1 with Norwich last weekend.
But sources have told ESPN FC that an
examination of the problem suggests he will be out
for around a fortnight, which is the standard length
of absence for a player with such an injury.
That means he will also miss the Europa League
meeting with Swiss club FC Sion on Oct. 1, and the
trip to Everton three days later, sources say.
Benteke has scored two goals in six appearances
for Liverpool since arriving from Aston Villa in a
£32.5 million deal last July.
His injury is a significant blow for manager
Brendan Rodgers, who learned last weekend that
he will be without captain Jordan Henderson --
who has had to undergo surgery on a broken bone
in his foot -- for up to eight weeks.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are optimistic that centre-
back Dejan Lovren's ankle injury is not as bad as
first feared.
Lovren was carried off on a stretcher during extra-
time as the Reds laboured to a victory on penalties
over League Two side Carlisle United in the Capital
One Cup on Wednesday.
There were initially concerns that the Croatia
international had broken his ankle, but first-team
coach Gary McAllister suggested that was not the
case.
He said: "He landed awkwardly but fingers crossed
I don't think it's as bad as it looked."
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