Liverpool star Joe Gomez is set to miss the opening game of the season after picking up a muscle injury.
The defender, 29, had to come off inside the first 10 minutes of Liverpool's victory in Nashville last week.
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola confirmed Gomez will be out for the Reds' opening match against Newcastle.
Iraola said: "Joe has a muscle injury. I think it was quite clear since he complained straight away, so it will depend how he evolves, but he will be some weeks off.
"It's a muscle injury and [with] muscle injuries it is difficult to say one day, but normally I always put myself as one month.
"If it goes very good the injury is a little bit less, if [not] it goes a little more.
"It's not massive, it's a normal muscle injury, [but] I think it's going to be impossible to have him for the start of the season because we are not so far [away]. It shouldn't be a lot more."
Liverpool had to start with Luke Chambers and Ifeanyi Ndukwe at the heart of their defence with Gomez and new signing Jeremy Jacquet absent.
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Virgil van Dijk has only just returned to pre-season training in Liverpool this week following World Cup commitments.
Iraola recognised the squad is "pretty thin" but focused on the positive performances in Liverpool's 1-0 win.
The Spaniard said: "You have seen these games; we are pretty thin in the centre-back position.
"We still don't have Virgil. The only real centre-backs we have right now are Mor and Ify, that are 18 years old, just arrived to the club and they are doing incredibly well.
"Yesterday Luke Chambers played there; he is not a centre-back, but he played really, really well.
"We have to until we recover some bodies.
"I think Jeremy is ready to go, and we will recover Virgil, but I'm happy that playing against Sunderland, against Wrexham, good teams with 18-year-old centre-backs.
"The team has shown composure and solidity at the back and [that] speaks very well about them."
Iraola's first test will be Newcastle at St James' Park, who have just parted ways with Englishman Eddie Howe.
A favourable start lies ahead for the Spaniard, with fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Fulham and Bournemouth to complete their first five.
Iraola will return to the Vitality Stadium on September 20, having guided the Cherries to Europa League football last season.
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