Jeremie Frimpong limped out of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Qarabag on Wednesday night after just four minutes.
The Dutch full-back started the match at Anfield but was replaced by Wataru Endo early on, after going down in pain.
It appeared that the 25-year-old had suffered a hamstring problem, which forced him out of the match and the Reds will now fear he is sidelined for a number of games to come.
Arne Slot already has problems at the back, with midfielder Ryan Gravenberch starting at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk against Qarabag.
Gravenberch was filling in in defence as Ibrahima Konate is unavailable for personal reasons, while Joe Gomez is sidelined through injury again, although with only a minor problem.
The young Italian centre-back the Reds bought in the summer, Giovanni Leoni, remains a long-term absentee due to a serious knee injury.
If Frimpong is set for a spell on the sidelines, Slot now has a real issue at right-back as well, with Conor Bradley already out for the season.
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The Northern Irishman has undergone surgery on a knee injury picked up against Arsenal earlier this month and is not expected to return until late 2026.
Liverpool foresaw a problem at the back and came very close to signing Marc Guehi at the end of the summer transfer window, but Crystal Palace pulled the plug late on as they could not find a replacement.
The England centre-back has since signed for Manchester City, meaning Liverpool will have to look elsewhere if they want defensive reinforcements before the end of the January transfer window.
Frimpong’s setback is the latest in a frustrating first season with the Reds since his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen.
He suffered hamstring problems in August-September and then October-December, meaning he has made just 11 Premier League appearances for Liverpool so far.
On whether it will be a concern for Slot, Reds legend Steven Gerrard told TNT Sports during the clash with Qarabag: ‘It will be, they’re missing other people like Gomez as well.
‘Hopefully that impact inury isn’t too big. That’s the only blow because in terms of the game and how they’ve played it’s been very positive tonight.’
