.png)
Liverpool are monitoring a growing list of injury concerns after Conor Bradley and Alexander Isak were both forced off during Friday’s 2-1 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Bradley was substituted in the first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after sustaining an injury, adding to Arne Slot’s defensive worries ahead of a packed run of fixtures. The right-back is also one yellow card away from a one-match suspension in the Champions League.
Isak, meanwhile, suffered a setback in the act of scoring Liverpool’s opening goal. The forward did not return to the pitch after receiving treatment, with Slot admitting after the match that the early signs were not encouraging.
“I don’t have any news on him,” Slot said. “But if a player scores, then gets injured and then doesn’t come back on the pitch and doesn’t try to come back… that’s usually not a good thing. That is just gut feeling. Nothing medical to say about it.”
Midfielder Wataru Endo has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the 3-3 draw with Leeds United on December 6, with Slot confirming earlier this month that the Japan international is expected to be out for “weeks”.
Cody Gakpo is also unavailable after suffering a muscle injury against Leeds. However, there is some optimism over his recovery, with Slot revealing on December 19 that scans were “promising” and that the forward could return sooner than initially feared, though not within the next week.
Defender Joe Gomez will miss the upcoming fixtures after picking up a muscle injury during the first half of Liverpool’s win over Brighton & Hove Albion on December 13.
There is longer-term disappointment for young defender Giovanni Leoni, who remains out for the season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup. Slot described the injury as “very hard to take” for the teenager, who faces a lengthy rehabilitation.
Away from injuries, Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah for the coming weeks, with the forward currently on international duty with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Egypt begin their group-stage campaign against Zimbabwe on December 22, followed by matches against South Africa on December 26 and Angola on December 29.
In addition, Dominik Szoboszlai will miss the Premier League meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 27 after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season during the victory over Tottenham.
Liverpool are expected to provide further updates as assessments continue, with Slot facing key selection decisions as the festive schedule intensifies.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels / Gábor Balázs, Unsplash / Finn
