“He wants to wait, rather than have an operation. He wants to work with the physios to try to solve his problems, but still he has pain. He told me he needed to keep stopping during the game because of the pain.

“Whether there is the need for him or Steven to have an operation is a decision we will probably not take straight away.

“We must see how they can improve, and by how much. Then we will decide about any possible operation.”

Liverpool have been rocked by a major injury crisis, with Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Albert Riera and Fabio Aurelio all injured and both Fernando Torres and Daniel Agger playing while not fully fit.

Alberto Aquilani, an unused substitute in Lyon, is still some way short of match sharpness while fringe players such as Andrea Dossena, Philipp Degen and Martin Kelly were also absent.

While Benitez is hopeful that Skrtel will be available for Monday’s Barclays Premier League visit of Birmingham City, the manager is less confident of the fitness of Johnson or Kelly.

And with Carragher and Degen both suspended after their red cards at Craven Cottage, Liverpool are facing a major selection headache at right-back.