Luis Suarez injury: Liverpool striker set to miss Uruguay’s World Cup campaign after injuring his knee in training requiring immediate surgery

England's chances of progressing from the

group stages of the World Cup in Brazil

have been given a huge boost today after

reports emerged that Uruguay's star striker

Luis Suarez is to undergo urgent surgery on

a knee injury.

Suarez is reported to have felt discomfort in

his knee during national team training last

night and, according to the Uruguayan

journalist Martin Charquero, tests later

revealed he had suffered damage to his

meniscus.

The Liverpool forward was expected to

undergo surgery at 7.30am this morning –

but Charquero said the Uruguary camp is

nonetheless confident they can get him back

in time for the start of the tournament.

A Uruguay FA official has admitted that the

news has come as a shock, and that the FA

will make an official announcement later

this morning.

He said: "It was all unexpected. The latest

information is that we are deciding what to

do, but there are increased possibilities

(involving surgery).

"I can't tell you anything more. The AUF

(Uruguay Federation) will announce it

officially on Thursday morning."

Suarez was expected to resume his fearsome

partnership with Paris St-Germain striker

Edinson Cavani, but that combination looks

to have been shot down before a ball has

been kicked.