Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has escaped serious injury but is likely to be out for a month with a knee problem sustained against West Brom on Sunday.
The Croatia centre-back was carried off on a stretcher and left Anfield on crutches after Craig Gardner's high follow-through during the 2-2 draw.
Lovren had five stitches in the wound on his right knee at the time but had to wait for some of the swelling to go down before he could be scanned by the club's medical staff.
Press Association Sport understands the results have shown no ligament damage but the joint is still significantly swollen and bruised and the defender's recovery is likely to take around a month.
With that in mind, the return to training of Mamadou Sakho ahead of schedule is timely.
The France centre-back started manager Jurgen Klopp's first four league matches alongside Martin Skrtel until a knee injury after landing awkwardly against Crystal Palace sidelined him in early November, with the early diagnosis suggesting it could be eight weeks before he was fit again.
With a full week of training he is likely to go straight into the team for Sunday's match at Watford.
Source: PA
