Soccer:Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is hopeful his team's injury issues will have eased by the weekend but admits it will be a further fortnight before the full extent of Charlie Adam's knee problem is known.

The Scotland midfielder missed the defeat at home to Wigan along with forward Craig Bellamy (calf), midfielder Maxi Rodriguez (illness) and defenders Glen Johnson (calf), Daniel Agger (rib) and Martin Kelly (ankle).

A quick return has been ruled out as the club will wait for another assessment but Dalglish insisted it was too early to write-off the 26-year-old’s season. “Charlie’s another two weeks and then we’ll find out a proper diagnosis without people speculating what’s wrong,” said the Reds boss.

“Rather than be inaccurate or incorrect or someone making up a story we will wait and see in a couple of weeks how long he’s going to be out.”

Dalglish complained at the weekend that the club’s recent run of matches had left the players tired. But having given them a couple of days off earlier in the week and their match at Newcastle not taking place until Sunday the Scot hopes to have some better news.

“We have a very strong squad which has been stretched but so have other people who are in a similar position,” he added. “It was stretched at the weekend after three games in seven days but that has gone now.

“The clear week we have gives everyone a chance, if they have bumps and bruises, to get rid of them and it gives the boys another week to get fit. We should get a few back but is only Thursday for a Sunday game.

“Everyone else is progressing, including Lucas Leiva (whose season was ended in November by knee surgery) who will obviously not play but who has done brilliantly in his recuperation.”