Liverpool’s right-back injury problems have worsened with Jeremie Frimpong likely to be out until the international break and set to miss their next six games.
The Netherlands international at Brentford on Saturday and went off a few minutes after coming on as a substitute, and manager Andoni Iraola called it a “massive” issue.
And with Conor Bradley not expected to be fit until after the November internationals, it means Ronald Araujo will have to continue as a makeshift right-back.
Manager Andoni Iraola had better news about Dominik Szoboszlai, another who can play right-back and another who was hurt at Brentford, by suggesting the Hungary international did not suffer a major setback when he went off half an hour into his comeback.
The Liverpool vice-captain could be out for around a week, which would rule him out of Tuesday’s game against Villarreal and Sunday’s match against Brighton.
Iraola said: “Jeremie Frimpong has a new, massive injury that happened, I think, in the second or third minute he was playing and it was difficult to predict.
“We will have to wait until he recovers but I think it is going to be difficult [to return] before the international break. We will try but it is going to be difficult to have him.
“Dom Szobsozlai is different, it’s not a new injury. I think he is in the same place he was probably the past week. It hasn’t worsened the injury but we probably have to be a little bit more patient until he recovers fully.
“But it is not like something where he has to wait a lot of time to come back. He is more or less in the same situation he was in the past week. But we need more patience with him.”
Araujo played more in the middle of defence for Barcelona but knew when he joined Liverpool on loan he might have to operate on the right and is willing to continue to do that.
He said: “It is not a problem. When I made the decision to come here, I knew it was one of the possibilities to play as a right-back. It is not something so different for me. I try to give everything, what the manager asks I try to give my very best.”
Liverpool have an option to buy Araujo next summer but the Uruguay international has not yet decided if he wants to stay at Barcelona or stay at Anfield.
He added: “I am just trying to enjoy every day. I am just really happy to be here. It is a bit early to be talking about those things.”