Liverpool expect to discover the full extent of Lucas Leiva's injury on Tuesday amid concerns the Brazilian could be out for more than two months with a torn thigh muscle.

The influential midfielder was withdrawn five minutes into Sunday's Premier League draw against Manchester City with a thigh problem he initially felt during the warm-up. Liverpool are still awaiting the results of tests on Lucas, with more expected on Tuesday morning but fear the 25-year-old has suffered a muscle tear that will sideline him for between six and 10 weeks.

If confirmed, the injury would represent a major setback for manager Brendan Rodgers and the Brazil international, who has only recently returned to fitness ahead of schedule from a cruciate knee ligament injury sustained in December. The Liverpool manager views Lucas as a key component of a three-man central midfield but will have Nuri Sahin, the new season-long loan signing from Real Madrid, available to face Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday.

Rodgers is hopeful of adding more players to his squad before Friday's transfer deadline but believes the reduced numbers at Anfield this season can enhance the development of Raheem Sterling and other young Liverpool talents.

The 17-year-old impressed on his full league debut against City as Rodgers selected a young Liverpool team for his first Premier League game in charge at Anfield. He said: "Young players will run through a barbed wire fence for you. Older players will look for the hole in the fence or just turn back and not even go through it. But you get that freshness from Raheem. I like exciting players as well and he is a boy that excites you.

"Maybe this might be a good opportunity for them. Because we don't have the money that some of our rivals have, I want to make the philosophy through the club that allows us to bring players from the Academy into the first team. We want to develop what this club has had for many years and develop top young players."

Rodgers had considered sending Sterling out on loan to aid his development this season but shelved those plans after working with the Jamaica-born, England Under-17 international in training.The Liverpool manager added: "I have got to say I have seen a lot of development in him in a short time. He takes on a lot of the concepts and he is very good with instructions. Normally wingers want to do their own thing but, tactically, he is improving every day. I am certain over the next few years that he will develop into a very good footballer. We just have to make sure that we keep the pressure off him. I believe that if we can help and nurture him in the right way, he will be a very good player for Liverpool.