Lucas receives fresh injury blow

Published Aug. 29, 2012 11:59 a.m. ET

foxsports

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says midfielder Lucas Leiva will be out for up to three months with a right thigh injury.

The Brazil international, who missed the second half of last season after undergoing knee surgery in December, came off with the new injury just five minutes into Sunday's Premier League match against Manchester City at Anfield. He will see a specialist later on Wednesday.

Rodgers says ''the indications are two or three months ... we'll see if it needs an operation or whether it is just recuperation.''

Liverpool has a ready-made replacement for the midfield anchor role in Nuri Sahin, who was signed on a one-year deal last week from Real Madrid. The Turkey international could make his debut on Sunday, against Arsenal at Anfield.