Liverpool lose Gerrard to hamstring injury

Liverpool FC will likely be without talismanic captain Steven Gerrard for their final UEFA Europa League group stage games after the club confirmed the midfielder had sustained "a significant hamstring injury" while on international duty.

The 30-year-old was taken off during the closing exchanges of England's 2-1 friendly defeat by France at Wembley on Wednesday night. A series of tests at Liverpool's Melwood training base have indicated that Gerrard will be out of action for three to four weeks with a grade two tear to the hamstring. This makes him a probable absentee from the Group K fixtures away to FC Steaua Bucureşti on 2 December and at home to FC Utrecht 13 days later.

Fortunately for Reds manager Roy Hodgson, the Premier League side top the group after four matches – thanks to Gerrard's late hat-trick against SSC Napoli on Matchday 4 – and need only a point to be certain of reaching the last 32.