Liverpool: Dejan Lovren seeing specialist in Germany to address knee injury problem

Liverpool are sweating over the fitness of Dejan Lovren with the defender's knee injury seemingly worse than first feared. The defender was expected to return for the Reds' win over Tottenham, but is now considered doubtful for the clash against Leicester City on Monday (27 February).

The Croatia international has missed Liverpool's last two games and was also omitted from the Merseyside club's trip to La Manga in Spain for a warm weather training camp last week. Jurgen Klopp was hopeful of Lovren's return to the squad following their training camp.

"Hopefully, especially Dejan, [they] can come back to training on Sunday; that would be great. Same for Marko Grujic, who is close but not close enough to make the sessions with us, and it's not nice for a player when you're close but you see this; so do your stuff and train [with the group] in the moment you can do it again. So that's all, there are no other reasons," Klopp said during their training camp at La Manga.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the defender, who had formed a strong partnership with Joel Matip at the heart of Liverpool's defence, has now travelled to Germany to see a specialist to address his knee problem. He is yet to be ruled out of the clash against the soon to be deposed Premier League champions, but is unlikely to feature if he fails to return to training on Tuesday (21 February).

Daniel Sturridge, meanwhile, is expected to return to training after being sent home midway through the training camp in Spain after he contracted a virus. The England international confirmed that he picked up a contagious illness due to which he was sent back to Melwood to continue his rehabilitation.

The Liverpool Echo reports that the striker will return to training with the rest of the squad on Tuesday with a double session planned for the forward. Sturridge has struggled with fitness and form issues this season and has managed just two goals in the Premier League thus far. He will be keen to earn his place back in the team after falling down the pecking order in recent months.