Doctors ease Liverpool's Kuyt concerns

Manager Roy Hodgson hopes he will be able to call on forward Dirk Kuyt within "one month – or if we are lucky three weeks" after the Liverpool FC player suffered what initially appeared to be a serious ankle injury on international duty.

The 30-year-old landed awkwardly during the Netherlands' UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying win against Sweden, but the prognosis now looks more positive than on Tuesday after he was assessed by experts at Liverpool's training ground.

"The initial rumours coming out of Holland were that it was going to be a really long injury, maybe months," Hodgson said. "But our doctor and our sports science people are much more optimistic. They think it is more likely to be one month – or if we are lucky three weeks.

"He seriously twisted his ankle with ligament damage and we are going to miss him for some matches, that's for sure," added Hodgson, whose side face Everton FC in a Merseyside derby this weekend. "He does recover very quickly and the thing about Dirk is that he is always anxious to get back on the football field. If it can be done in three weeks it will be three. If it can be two he'll do it in two – but we are looking at a lay-off."

Liverpool top UEFA Europa League Group K ahead of next Thursday's trip to SSC Napoli.