Adam Lallana’s Liverpool career isn’t off to a good start.
The club announced Friday that its new midfielder “sustained a knock to his lateral collateral ligament during a session at the Reds’ Harvard University training base in Boston.”
There is no expected return date for Lallana, who won’t need surgery, but he won’t be ready for the start of the 2014-15 Premier League campaign.
Liverpool opens the Premier League season on Sunday, Aug. 17 against Southampton — Lallana’s former club — and noted in Friday’s announcement that injuries like the midfielder’s can sideline players for up to six weeks.
The 26-year-old Englishman came to Liverpool from Southampton earlier in the summer transfer window.
Lallana’s absence could open up more playing time for midfielder Philippe Coutinho. The 22-year-old Brazilian is a clever playmaker and showed signs of becoming a real star last year.
