Torres injury is a ruptured muscle

Fernando Torres could miss the start of the Premier League season after his latest injury was confirmed as a ruptured muscle in his left thigh.

The Liverpool hit-man was an extra-time substitute for Spain as they defeated Holland to win Sunday's World Cup final, but just before the end of the game he pulled up in worrying scenes, especially for Reds fans.

Once he had taken his part in the World Cup celebrations the forward - who has had a torrid few months with injuries and laboured in his Spain appearances in South Africa - underwent a scan to determine the extent of his latest knock.

And a statement on the SFF's website has since confirmed that he had a magnetic resonance scan in Madrid, in which evidence was found of 'a Grade 1 muscle fibre rupture in the left thigh.'

The results were then sent to Liverpool and were examined by the club's new head of sports science and medicine Peter Brukner, who said: "The initial assessment was he had a mild adductor tear and the Spanish medial staff didn't consider it to be too serious at the time.

"He had an MRI scan yesterday which confirmed a small tear. He should be able to resume training within two to three weeks and be able to play again within three to four weeks."