Klopp confirms ankle injury as Coutinho leaves Anfield on crutches

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed that star midfielder Philippe Coutinho sustained an ankle injury in Saturday's 2-0 win over Sunderland, noting that the Brazilian is set to undergo scans to discern the severity of the worrying ailment.

Coutinho, the catalyst in driving the Reds near the summit of the Premier League table this season, was stretchered off with his right foot in a protective brace after he kicked the foot of Didier Ndong while attempting a shot in the first half of the contest at Anfield.

Related: Liverpool's Coutinho stretchered off with apparent foot injury

In visible pain, the diminutive playmaker immediately called for the training staff before being lifted off the pitch.

Following the match, Klopp provided an update on his influential purveyor of spectacular goals.

"We have to wait for the scan. What we know in this moment is it is something with the ankle and that’s it, so we all have to wait," Klopp said, as quoted by the club's official website.

"He had pain, but pain gets better. In the first moment, it was obviously very painful but when I saw him at halftime, he said the pain was much better. We have to wait.

"If I have no idea what it is, how can I imagine how long it will be (out)? I am actually quite an optimistic guy - so I hope he can train tomorrow!"