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Kyrgiakos ruptures ACL on international duty

Liverpool defender Sotiros Kyrgiakos has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while on international duty for Greece on Wednesday night and faces at least four months on the sidelines.

The 30-year-old has made just two appearances since signing from AEK Athens in August. At his age an injury as serious as an ACL can take nearer 6 months to recover from.

The news will obviously be a blow to Reds boss Rafa Benitez who signed the big Greek centre back as a replacement for Sami Hyypia to provide cover for Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger. Agger is yet to play this season after suffering more injury problems but in a welcome boost he played twice for Denmark this week and is available for the trip to Sunderland on Saturday.

With Kyrgiakos out, question marks over the form of Carragher and Skrtel, and Agger’s persistent injury problems, Benitez may enter the transfer market in January to secure further cover in the heart of defence. He was linked with Michael Turner before he left Hull for Sunderland, and Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross.

Youngsters Daniel Ayala and Martin Kelly will be hoping they can take advantage of the situation and may be in line to play some part in the League Cup tie at Arsenal next week.