Hugo Ekitike has apparently avoided a full Achilles rupture - though the striker could still be facing a significant spell on the sidelines.
The 23-year-old was stretchered off early in Liverpool's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday evening after losing his footing around the 30‑minute mark.
Liverpool and PSG players immediately rushed over to support Ekitike before medical staff provided treatment and took him off on a stretcher.
No diagnosis has been confirmed by the Reds but after the game boss Arne Slot admitted: "Hugo looks really bad but it's difficult for me to say how bad. Tomorrow we will investigate further how bad it is for him, let's see. It doesn’t look good, that is clear."
According to French journalist Lassana Camara, Ekitike's family confirmed he did not rupture his tendon but will miss the rest of the season and the World Cup.
With scans now set to take place today (Wednesday), there has been some rumours about how long the injury could keep Ekitike away from the pitch for.
Injury analyst FPL Physio has now given their verdict on the exact nature of Ekitike's injury. They explained on X: "Moments before Ekitike falls to the ground, he steps back on his right leg to start his acceleration.
"This is normally how people tend to rupture their Achilles and you can see him immediately grabbing his Achilles, and the physios assessing him also seem to focus on the lower leg or Achilles.
"At some point it looks like Ekitike is pointing towards his Achilles as the players surround him.
"The best we can hope for is a severe partial rupture or some sort of ankle/lower leg fracture, as that would actually be way better."
It's also noted that a full Achilles rupture can take between nine to 12 months of recovery time, though that timeline can be longer depending on the severity of the injury.
The 23-year-old's injury coincides with Alexander Isak's return to fitness following a lengthy time on the sidelines.
