Brendan Rodgers hopeful on Lazar Markovic fitness

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is optimistic that summer signing Lazar Markovic will be fit to start next week's Premier League opener with Southampton.

Markovic - a £20m signing from Benfica - has been absent from first-team duties since suffering a tendon injury in his 45-minute debut against Olympiacos in pre-season.

Nevertheless, Rodgers is hopeful that the 20-year-old will be available for Sunday's curtain raiser, and claims that he will definitely be fit for Manchester City the following week.

"He'll hopefully be around then [against Southampton], but if not then he certainly will for the next game," the Northern Irishman told the club's official website.

"He had a slight problem with his tendon, but he's up to speed.

"He's working with our sports science team, he's looking very strong and if he just misses out, he certainly should be available for the next game."

Sunday's encounter at Anfield is scheduled to kick off at 1.30pm.