Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt will miss Sunday's Premier League match at local rival Everton because of the ankle injury he sustained playing for the Netherlands this week, but could be back in action within a month.
British newspapers had reported that Kuyt could be out of action until next year but Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson said Thursday that the 30-year-old Dutchman would recover far more quickly.
Kuyt twisted his right ankle and damaged ligaments.
''The initial rumors coming out of Holland were that it was going to be a really long injury, maybe months,'' Hodgson said. ''But our doctor and our sports science people are much more optimistic. They think it is more likely to be one month or, if we are lucky, three weeks.
''He does recover very quickly and the thing about Dirk is that he is always anxious to get back on the football field. If it can done in three weeks it will be three.''
Liverpool is in the relegation zone after winning just one of its first seven matches for its worst start to a season since 1953.
''It's disappointing because it is the second time he has gone away with the national team and come back and missed weeks for us,'' Hodgson said.
