Daniel Sturridge injury: Liverpool striker suffers yet another blow after picking up hamstring knock in Newcastle defeat

Sturridge has only just returned from injury but picked up the injury during the 2-0 loss at Newcastle

(Getty Images)

Daniel Sturridge might not play again for Liverpool until the New Year after suffering yet another injury, this one rendering him unavailable for a minimum of two weeks.

Sturridge complained of hamstring pain during a substitute appearance in the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday having only started a game under Jürgen Klopp for the first time in the 6-1 Capital One Cup quarter-final victory over Southampton last Wednesday, where he made an instant impact by scoring twice.

A scan taken by club doctors on Tuesday revealed a strain, immediately ruling him out of Liverpool’s Europa League tie in Switzerland with Sion on Thursday and their league fixture at home to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

A precise estimate of the required rehabilitation is made problematic due to the player’s chequered injury record as well as his state of mind – there have been suggestions that the striker needs to feel 100 per cent fit in order to declare himself available for selection.

Although Klopp has discovered a positive correlation between squad rotation and results since his arrival on Merseyside, the approach has partly been triggered by player availability as well as suspensions.

Successive knocks to the knee and foot had ruled Sturridge out of Klopp’s selection plans during the German’s first two months in charge at Anfield.

Klopp told Sturridge that he must learn the difference between “serious pain” and “only pain” after withdrawing at short notice from the squad to face Bordeaux in the Europa League a fortnight ago.

Three days later, Sturridge was considered fit enough to be introduced as a second-half substitute in the victory over Swansea City.

Klopp then reasoned last week that it was “normal” for a player to sustain repeated injuries following an extended lay-off.