Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson confirmed: "This game was probably one too far for Stephane. He is very important to us and we hoped he would be able to come through, but he has been struggling for a while and now he must have an operation.

"That will probably be on Tuesday and he will be out for between four to five weeks. It means he will miss the internationals with Switzerland."

Henchoz is therefore out of Switzerland's trip to Albania on Saturday and the match against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on the following Wednesday.

Thompson added: "We were hoping he would be okay, but he has been getting problems elsewhere trying to compensate for the injury and it can't go on like this."

Liverpool's only other problem is England's Danny Murphy, who has picked up a groin strain.

Thompson accepted that Liverpool had not been at their best as they were nullified for almost the entire 90 minutes by the Blues.

He said: "It wasn't one of our most fluid displays, but it these situations you must not lose. They barely had a chance so we had to keep plugging away.

"And it was a great piece of anticipation from Michael Owen, he doesn't miss from six inches."