The 32-year-old suffered the injury in Sunday's Premier League defeat at Tottenham. Carragher underwent a thorough examination at the club's training ground on Monday but medical staff were unable to make a full assessment until Tuesday. Carragher told the club's website: "I'll be having surgery at the end of the week. "The average is about 12 weeks. I'd like to come back before that but I've got to make sure it's right. "It will probably be late February or early March when I'm looking to come back. "It's difficult for me when I'm injured. It hasn't happened very often, and I'm very lucky with that I suppose, but maybe it's caught up with me a little bit now. "I've been here before with a broken leg which put me out this length of time. "It's not easy but you've got to get on with it, and it makes you more determined to get back. "I'm sure towards the end of the season when people are maybe feeling a little bit tired I'll be raring to go." The news is a huge blow for Liverpool, who are already without talismanic captain Steven Gerrard and Carragher's fellow defender Daniel Agger. Gerrard is expected to be out for another three weeks with a hamstring injury sustained on England duty while Agger is hoping to return mid-December after a calf problem. Carragher had captained the side in the absence of Gerrard at White Hart Lane when he was forced off with three minutes remaining. Following his exit Liverpool conceded an injury-time goal to Aaron Lennon to lose 2-1, a defeat which leaves them 10th in the table. Carragher had been captaining the Reds in the absence of Gerrard when he was forced off three minutes from time at Spurs. After his departure, the team conceded a late goal to Aaron Lennon to slip to a defeat which left them 10th in the Premier League. Joe Cole, out for a month with a hamstring injury, is in contention to return in Thursday's Europa League clash at Steaua Bucharest after a minor setback in his recovery. But it is the prospect of Gerrard returning to action which will give Hodgson the biggest lift. Liverpool's head of sports medicine Dr Peter Brukner said: "Steven's going well. He's back running, though not back in training. "He's certainly looking good to play the Newcastle game, which has been our target all along. "We're hoping he'll be back in training at the start of next week. Everything's gone to plan."
