Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni faces months on the sidelines after suffering a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury on his debut.

The 18-year-old played 81 minutes of Tuesday’s 2-1 Carabao Cup third-round win over Southampton before going off with the injury.

Leoni, who joined the Reds in August from Parma for a fee of £26m plus add-ons, has since had tests on his left knee.

Sources have indicated the centre-back has damaged his ACL, which would probably rule out the teenager for most – if not all – of the rest of the season.

“He is down because, for him, it didn’t feel good immediately. Normally the emotions of a player tell you a lot,” Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said after Tuesday’s match.

The injury leaves Slot with just three recognised centre-backs in Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez.

Liverpool are able to replace Leoni in their Champions League squad, with forward Federico Chiesa among the contenders for inclusion.

Slot’s side have won all five Premier League matches so far this season in defence of their title.