LONDON (Guardian) - Liverpool have been dealt a fresh injury blow after the striker Divock Origi underwent surgery on a knee problem that will sideline the Belgium international for another month.

The 20-year-old has been absent since suffering a hamstring strain in the 1-0 win over Leicester City on Boxing Day. He had been scheduled to make a comeback against Arsenal or Manchester United in the Premier League this week only for a separate knee injury to postpone the comeback.

Origi returned to Belgium for the procedure and it could be late February before he is available to Juergen Klopp again, ruling him out of at least five league matches plus the FA Cup third-round replay against Exeter City and the second leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final against Stoke City.

Klopp is already without the strikers Danny Ings and Daniel Sturridge due to injury, the former Burnley player for the rest of the season because of a ruptured cruciate and the England international as he works on a training regime designed to improve his dreadful injury record.

Sturridge has been on the programme since recovering from a hamstring injury sustained at Newcastle United on Dec 6 but is not in contention to face Arsenal on Wednesday. The injuries mean Klopp has only Christian Benteke of his recognised forwards available against Arsene Wenger's side but may recall Roberto Firmino in an advanced role.