Joe Gomez: Liverpool & England defender to have surgery on leg fracture
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Joe Gomez (left) was taken off on a stretcher following a challenge with Ben Mee (right)
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez is to have an operation on the leg fracture he sustained against Burnley in December.
The England centre-back, 21, was taken off after 23 minutes following a challenge with Clarets captain Ben Mee.
He was initially ruled out for up to six weeks and is expected to feature again this season - but Liverpool have put no timescale on his recovery.
"Obviously being out for longer than we'd first hoped for is hard to swallow," said Gomez.
"It was an injury caused by an impact - like nearly all the injuries I've had in my career - so I know it's just a case of when it's fully healed I'm good to go again."
Gomez had made 18 appearances for the Premier League leaders before suffering the injury on 5 December.
"It's a blow for the boy and for us - because prior to the injury he was in such fantastic shape," said Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.
"He is too valuable to take any risk with, both for our present and future, so we get this procedure done and he comes back when he's ready.
"His attitude during this rehab has been outstanding but it just hasn't healed as we'd have liked, so we will make this intervention and then he will come back."
With Gomez and Dejan Lovren (hamstring) still out, Liverpool only have Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip as fit centre-backs.
Liverpool are two points clear at the top of the table and play West Ham at London Stadium on Monday (20:00 GMT kick-off).