Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will miss Monday night's trip to Premier League champions Leicester City and is a massive doubt for the visit of Arsenal the following week.
The England midfielder sustained a foot injury in training on Friday but is not expected to face a lengthy period on the sidelines, contrary to reports doing the rounds on social media on Sunday night.
Henderson went for scans after a challenge with his team-mate but concerns that he might have fractured a metatarsal were put to rest, though he isn't likely to be involved in either of the Reds' next two outings due to severe bruising.
The trip to Leicester - which Henderson is definitively out for - is just the second league game of the season that the Reds' No.14 will have missed this season after the draw at Sunderland in early January.
Liverpool are hopeful of having the 26-year-old back fit beyond that, with Burnley's visit to Anfield on Sunday 12th March a potential return date.
The club are also continuing to monitor Henderson's long-term heel issue, which kept him out for three months of last season and has also caused his problems earlier this term.
Can likely to replace Henderson
Henderson's absence leaves Jürgen Klopp with a selection headache at the King Power Stadium, where Liverpool face a Leicester side fresh from the controversial sacking of Claudio Ranieri, who led the Foxes to the league title only last season.
Emre Can is likely to replace Henderson at the base of midfield with Georginio Wijnaldum, who also sustained a blow in training but should be available, and Adam Lallana ahead of him.
Yet the loss of their energetic skipper is a huge setback for Liverpool, who are looking to build upon their huge win over Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago and maintain their hunt for a top-four finish.
Can dropped to the bench in that win over Spurs in a response to poor recent form as Liverpool rediscovered the kind of fluency and cohesion that inspired their superb form in the autumn months.
But Can will be keen to prove that he is worthy of the wages he is demanding with contract talks between the German's midfielders representatives and Liverpool officials at a standstill.