Liverpool defender Joel Matip ruled out until New Year?

Liverpool have reportedly prepared themselves for the possibility of Joel Matip being absent until the New Year with a thigh injury.

Matip has been one of Liverpool's regular performers this season, making 17 starts in all competitions, but the Cameroonian centre-back has recently picked up a couple of injuries.

Manager Jurgen Klopp has acknowledged that the 26-year-old is likely to miss Saturday's clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, but according to The Telegraph, the Merseyside giants fear that they could be without a key player throughout the upcoming Christmas period.

Liverpool must contend with eight games in all competitions during the remainder of 2017, and Klopp could potentially be left with only two first-team centre-backs in Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan,

Joe Gomez would be able to deputise for Matip if required, but the newly-capped England international has starred at right-back since the start of the season.