Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen will miss the opening four weeks of the season with a hamstring problem, the club has announced.
The Welshman sustained the injury in the Reds' pre-season friendly with Swindon last weekend, and it was hoped that he would be sidelined for only a short period of time.
However, tests have confirmed that Allen is ruled out until September, which comes as a blow to Liverpool's top-four hopes.
"He [Allen] will probably miss three to four weeks, which is disappointing," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has said.
"He certainly won't be available for the weekend."
The 25-year-old made only 16 league starts last season, gaining a WhoScored rating of 6.81 in the process.
For more stats on Joe Allen, click here to view his WhoScored player page
