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Alisson ruled out for 'a few weeks' with calf injury

Alisson (R) was helped off at Anfield
Alisson (R) was helped off at Anfield

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker is set to miss "the next few weeks" with the calf injury he suffered in Friday night's Premier League victory over Norwich.

Manager Jurgen Klopp, whose side meet Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, was unable to put an exact timescale on his recovery but has played down suggestions the Brazil international could be out of action for six weeks.

Liverpool have Premier League fixtures against Southampton, Arsenal, Burnley, Newcastle, Chelsea and Sheffield United in that timeframe.

Klopp told the club's official website: "[It's] Not too cool. It's a calf injury, which takes him obviously out for a while.

"I don't want to make now [an] exact prognosis on when he will be back, but it will not be Wednesday for sure, so then we have to see.

"It takes a while, it takes a couple weeks for sure, and we have to see.

"I saw already like 'six weeks' and stuff like this, but Ali was not a lot injured in his career, so I would like to wait a little bit to see how he develops in that process now, but he is not in for the next few weeks."

Becker was replaced six minutes before the break at Anfield with the Reds already leading 3-0 as summer signing Adrian was handed a competitive debut in his place. The hosts went on to win the match 4-1.

Irish U21 international Caoimhin Kelleher is the third-choice keeper but has himself been recuperating from wrist surgery.

Klopp indicated he is likely to hand a short-term deal to former Preston keeper Andy Lonergan, 35, who was part of the squad in pre-season and is still training with the club.

He said: "The situation was even more difficult a few weeks ago because of injuries, but Caoimhin Kelleher is now in his final steps for being completely back. He's training only [for] five days or so, catching balls and all that stuff.

"It looks all good, but of course we have to find a solution in the short term and that will be, if nothing happens from now to then, Andy Lonergan.

"He was in with us, he's a brilliant character, a really nice lad and helped us a lot in the pre-season, and now we decided to work together with him.

Asked if Lonergan would be among the substitutes in Istanbul, Klopp replied: "I think so. I didn't speak to [goalkeeping coach] John [Achterberg] yet about that. We spoke a lot about the goalie situation apart from what we have to do [on Wednesday]!

"We will see, but we can have obviously a lot of players on the bench there, which is good and I think Andy will be one of them."

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