Gerard Houllier is unlikely to return as Liverpool manager until March, the Anfield club have confirmed.
Liverpool go to Leeds on Sunday and it was during the earlier meeting between the two sides - on October 13th - that Houllier was taken ill, later requiring major heart surgery.
Although Houllier and the club have always insisted on a return date of the end of January or start of February, there has been speculation the Frenchman could be out for longer.
He returned to England last weekend from recuperation in Corsica to be re-assessed by the specialist at Liverpool's Broadgreen cardiac unit where the original operation was carried out.
Assistant boss Phil Thompson said: "Gerard is fine and he is going to be back in a few weeks time. But that may be four weeks, maybe a little longer. I've seen him and he's come back with a good tan. He is doing all the things the doctors here are telling him to do".
Houllier will now not be back in control when Liverpool re-start their Champions League campaign with two matches against Galatasaray next month and could even miss the return in Barcelona in mid-March.
PA