Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers expects Daniel Sturridge to be back next week.

The striker is currently in Boston where he is undergoing a rehabilitation programme on a thigh problem sustained in November.

Speaking to reporters following Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Arsenal, the boss was asked when he expected the No.15 to return.

Rodgers replied: "That will probably be just after the Christmas period. The first phase of his rehab was out in LA where we did some specific work with him there.

"He's gone to Boston to pick up the next stage, then he'll move on again to a specialist facility out there and hopefully in the early part of the New Year he'll be back and be somewhere close to being fit and playing.

"At some stage in January, we'll look to get Dan back. That will be really exciting for this team.

"We'll put him into the mix again and go back to that flow of our game and results, hopefully."