Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho expected to be out for about a month with hamstring injury

Sakho has been a regular in Brendan Rodgers’s side when fit

The French centre-back Mamadou Sakho who hobbled off in the FA Cup quarter-final replay against Blackburn Rovers is set to spend the next 3-4 weeks on the sidelines. The defender’s hamstring injury comes as a major blow to Liverpool’s push for Champions league places and FA Cup glory.

The injury rules Sakho out of Liverpool’s clash against Newcastle and the following games including – the FA Cup semi-final against Villa and the league games against West Brom, Hull City and QPR. Kolo Toure who replaced Sakho in the FA Cup quarter-final might replace Sakho in Liverpool’s usual three-man backline as Emre Can will be available for selection having served his suspension.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will have a few decisions to make in terms of the shape his team will adopt against the Magpies. Rodgers’s side will be missing Martin Skrtel as well and could retain the 4-3-3 shape they chose to play against Blackburn Rovers. The team could also revert to their preferred 3-man defense with Can, Toure and Dejan Lovren.