The Spaniard completed 90 minutes at Anfield but underwent a scan on Thursday and is now due for another spell on the sidelines having only just returned from five weeks out with a similar problem.

Defender Fabio Aurelio will be out for a fortnight after picking up a calf problem in the same match.

A club spokesman said: "Fernando has a strain in his right hamstring and will be out of action for between two and three weeks. Fabio has a calf strain in his left leg and will be out for two weeks."

Torres' latest setback will be a blow to manager Rafael Benitez, who was hoping the 24-year-old would be able to re-establish the partnership with captain Steven Gerrard that worked well last season.

Gerrard scored the winner against Marseille in the 1-0 Group D victory that ensured Liverpool will be in the last 16.

But Benitez revealed after the game that Torres' role in his tactics was not working to the level of last season, when the Spaniard hit 33 goals and Gerrard chipped in with 21.

If Liverpool are still in this form come February, their participation in the knockout stages could be a short one.

Benitez said: "Clearly the main thing was to do the job and progress. But we didn't control the game or play well.

"We were too excited, we wanted to score the second goal with one pass. We should have passed more and been patient, and then find Torres.

"But we were trying to use him too quickly, the ball was hit straight up to him, and meant we kept conceding possession.

"We were giving the ball away and having to run back into defence, then doing the same thing over. It's difficult to control a game like that."

Benitez added: "We are concerned with our home performances. But we could have beaten Fulham on Saturday even though we were not playing well.

"Against Marseille some things were not possible. But at least we now have the chance to look at what went wrong. We have time before the next stage to put right what has been going wrong."