Liverpool defender suffers serious knee injury

Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni will be sidelined for several months after picking up a serious knee injury against Southampton in the Carabao Cup third round yesterday.

The Italian made his debut for the Merseyside giants against the Saints at Anfield yesterday. He had a top-class defensive display, but his game ended on a sour note in the end.

Reds boss Arne Slot acknowledged that the injury was concerning and it is now reported that the former Parma man has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament damage in his knee.

Leoni's setback is a huge blow for the Premier League leaders, given they have just three specialist centre-backs in Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez after his setback.

Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch are capable of playing as makeshift central defenders, but Slot will not want the Reds to come to that situation during the course of the campaign.

Liverpool were on the cusp of signing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi to bolster their central defence last summer. They are expected to return for his services at the turn of the year.