Liverpool's crippling injury crisis worsened last night with Florent Sinama-Pongolle ruled out for the rest of the season after damaging knee ligaments.

　　The French Under-21 international tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee only three minutes after coming off the bench in the 1-0 Carling Cup semi-final second-leg victory at Watford on Tuesday.

　　He will visit a surgeon today to assess the extent of the injury, though Liverpool concede he will be absent for a "lengthy period".

　　He becomes the 11th first-team player to suffer a long-term injury at Anfield this season, following problems for Djibril Cissé(broken leg), Chris Kirkland (back), Milan Baros (hamstring), Xabi Alonso (broken ankle), Harry Kewell (groin), Vladimir Smicer (knee), Luis García (hamstring), Steven Gerrard (broken foot), Antonio Nú?ez (knee), Steve Finnan (hamstring) and Josemi (knee).

　　Baros, Finnan, García and Gerrard have all recovered and played on Tuesday, with Gerrard scoring the only goal, but the loss of the forward Sinama-Pongolle raises the question of where, apart from Liverpool's captain, the goals are going to come from.