Curtis Jones ruled out for extended period with 'freak' eye injury

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is set for an extended spell on the sidelines as a result of a freak eye injury.

The 20-year-old has been out since coming off worse in an accidental collision in training before the Reds' Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid at the start of the month.

Having missed the Premier League defeat at West Ham as well as international duty with England's Under-21s, Liverpool have confirmed Jones is facing "a number of weeks" more in the treatment room.

Club doctor Jim Moxon told the club's official website: “It’s a freak injury and very unlucky, but the important thing to emphasise is there is no lasting damage and his vision won’t be impacted beyond the recovery period. 

“However, the nature of the issue means caution is important; we need to allow it time to heal and we can’t rush it, therefore it won’t be a speedy return.

“It needs to mend before we are able to reintroduce Curtis to full training, but there are things he can do in the meantime to maintain fitness.

“We can’t put a specific timescale on a return beyond it will be a number of weeks from now as it heals naturally, so it’s not one we will risk and patience is a virtue with this specific recovery.”

Speaking about Jones' injury earlier in November, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said: "He [Curtis] was very unlucky in training - he got a finger that scratched the eye.

"I had a lot of injuries to players in my career, that was not involved. He is on the way back but we have to see how long exactly."

Jones joins forward Roberto Firmino as a longer-term absentee in the Anfield treatment room, while centre-back Joe Gomez is also a doubt as Liverpool prepare to face Arsenal in Saturday's late kick-off.

In better news, Sadio Mane was in training on Wednesday having been substituted early in Senegal's match against Togo last Thursday as a precaution.