Use your head like Sadio and subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Daniel Sturridge is set to be sidelined until the New Year after the Liverpool striker suffered yet another crushing injury setback.

The England striker has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain suffered in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United.

It’s a major blow for boss Jurgen Klopp with Sturridge now expected to miss the Reds’ entire hectic festive programme.

Sturridge, who only came off the bench for the final half-hour at St James’ Park, complained of discomfort after the game in the North East and a scan on Tuesday confirmed the extent of the damage.

Considering the 26-year-old’s history of injuries, Liverpool are reluctant to put an exact time frame on his return but an absence of around three to four weeks is expected.

Sturridge won’t travel to FC Sion for Thursday’s final Europa League group game and is likely to sit out at least seven matches.

That period also covers league games against West Brom, Watford, Leicester, Sunderland and West Ham, as well as the first leg of the Reds’ Capital One Cup semi-final with Stoke City.

It’s the latest sorry chapter for Sturridge, who has been dogged by a succession of injury setbacks over the past 18 months.

When Luis Suarez was sold to Barcelona in the summer of 2014, Sturridge was expected to become the focal point of the Liverpool attack.

However, since the prolific Uruguayan frontman departed, Sturridge has started just 16 of the Reds’ 81 fixtures.

Thigh and groin problems restricted him to just seven league starts last season. When he underwent hip surgery in America back in May Liverpool believed they had got to the bottom of his fitness issues.

However, since making his comeback against Norwich City in September there has been more frustration.

A sore knee sustained after a training ground collision with Jordon Ibe shortly after Klopp’s appointment led to him missing eight games.

Sturridge then withdrew from the squad to face Bordeaux last month after complaining of pain in his foot. A scan gave him the all-clear and he made his return to action three days later when he came off the bench in the win over Swansea City.

That 20-minute cameo was followed by a timely reminder of his quality as he plundered a classy double during an hour-long appearance in the 6-1 rout of Southampton in the Capital One Cup last week.

Klopp admitted Sturridge had “felt each muscle” after the game and decided to relegate him to bench duty at St James’ Park.

Now the German coach will be without Liverpool’s most gifted finisher for the busiest spell of the club’s campaign as they look to step up their push for a Champions League spot.