Jeremie Frimpong ruled out until November as Liverpool right-back crisis deepens

Frimpong blow compounds Liverpool's defensive woes

Liverpool's defensive options on the right flank have taken a significant hit after Jeremie Frimpong was ruled out for the foreseeable future with a hamstring injury.

The Netherlands international sustained the problem at Brentford on Saturday, going off just minutes after being introduced as a substitute. Manager Andoni Iraola described the setback as "massive" and conceded the defender is unlikely to return before the November international break.

"Jeremie Frimpong has a new, massive injury that happened, I think, in the second or third minute he was playing and it was difficult to predict," Iraola said. "We will have to wait until he recovers but I think it is going to be difficult [to return] before the international break. We will try but it is going to be difficult to have him."

The injury means Frimpong is set to miss Liverpool's next six matches. With Conor Bradley also not expected to be fit until after the November internationals, the burden of covering the right-back berth falls once again to Ronald Araujo, who has been operating as a makeshift full-back.

Szoboszlai suffers minor setback

There was marginally better news on Dominik Szoboszlai, another player capable of featuring at right-back who was also injured at Brentford. Iraola played down fears of a serious issue after the Hungary international went off half an hour into his comeback, suggesting it was not a fresh injury.

"Dom Szoboszlai is different, it's not a new injury. I think he is in the same place he was probably the past week. It hasn't worsened the injury but we probably have to be a little bit more patient until he recovers fully," the manager said. "But it is not like something where he has to wait a lot of time to come back. He is more or less in the same situation he was in the past week. But we need more patience with him."

Szoboszlai, Liverpool's vice-captain, is expected to be sidelined for around a week, which would rule him out of Tuesday's Champions League tie against Villarreal and Sunday's Premier League clash with Brighton.

Araujo ready to plug the gap

Ronald Araujo, who arrived on loan having previously featured more centrally for Barcelona, said he was prepared to continue at right-back for as long as required.

"It is not a problem. When I made the decision to come here, I knew it was one of the possibilities to play as a right-back. It is not something so different for me. I try to give everything, what the manager asks I try to give my very best," the Uruguay international said.

Liverpool hold an option to buy Araujo next summer, but the defender said he is not yet looking that far ahead. "I am just trying to enjoy every day. I am just really happy to be here. It is a bit early to be talking about those things," he added.