Manager Arne Slott has confirmed that Alexander Isak is expected to be out for a long time after sustaining a broken leg following a “reckless” challenge from Micky van de Ven in Liverpool’s win over Tottenham.
The Swedish striker underwent surgery on Monday.
“It’s going to be a long injury for several months,” Liverpool head coach Slott admitted in Tuesday’s press conference before the match against Wolves. “It’s a huge disappointment for him and, as a result, for us.”
Isak was injured in Liverpool’s 2-1 win in north London when he tried to prevent Van de Ven from scoring an opener, and was unable to celebrate as he slipped into the striker and signaled for immediate treatment.
“This was a reckless challenge for me,” Slott said. “I think I said a lot about Xavi Simmons’ challenge[on Virgil van Dijk]but it was completely unintentional for me. I don’t think I would ever get injured in a tackle like that.”
“I think Van de Ven’s tackle, if you make 10 of those tackles, there’s a good chance that a player will be seriously injured in 10 of them.”
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Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher says Alexander Isak’s broken leg will be a big blow for Liverpool, but added that Mohamed Salah is unlikely to leave the club in January.
The Sweden international missed five games between October and November with a groin injury, and the setback will add to a disjointed start to his life at Liverpool since his record £125m move from Newcastle this summer.
Isak has scored just three goals in 16 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool, but Slott noted his level has improved.
It’s ‘absolutely impossible’ for Isaac to do his best
“I think it was a really challenging and difficult time for him,” Slott added.
“Usually when you join a new club, he was also very excited, but you would want to show all the qualities you have right away, but that just wasn’t possible.
“Maybe no one understands this, but if you haven’t practiced at a serious level with your team for three or four months and you’re playing in this league, you don’t know where you’re playing, but in this league you have to be on top of your game to impact the game of football.
“And, as we all knew, it took months to get him there because he couldn’t breathe and there was game, game, game. There was very little time to train.
“So we always knew he was going to need time. That’s why it’s unfortunate that he’s injured now. I think with this goal against West Ham, with this goal, we all saw him getting closer and closer to what he was at Newcastle last season.”
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Jamie Carragher has analyzed the final minutes of Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Spurs on Saturday, highlighting the nerves the champions showed, saying they were “heads racing”.
Analysis: Slot attack options are reduced
Rich Morgan of Sky Sports:
Isak missed four games in late October and early November with a groin injury, and was sent off at half-time of the Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
He has started five of the nine matches since his return, but any absence, even for an extended period, would be a blow, with Mohamed Salah set to feature in the Africa Cup of Nations and Kodi Gakpo not expected to be ready to return until early in the new year following a muscular injury.
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Free to watch: Premier League highlights of Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool
This leaves Hugo Ekitike, who has scored five goals in the last four games, and Federico Chiesa, who has rarely been used, as the only senior forwards in the slot.
Unlike Isak, Ekitike has only really hit the ground running since his £79m move to Anfield from Frankfurt last summer and has scored 11 goals in 24 games in all competitions so far this season, including eight in the Premier League.
And with Isak sidelined through injury, the 23-year-old has a chance to stake his claim for the championship’s first-choice number nine spot in a crucial game.
Liverpool will face Wolves, Leeds, Fulham and leaders Arsenal over the next two-and-a-half weeks to shape their aim of finishing in the top four.
Meanwhile, the Reds begin their FA Cup campaign at home to Barnsley on January 12, and have two crucial Champions League games next month, at Marseille (January 21) and at home to Qarabag (January 28).
“There’s some anger over Isaac’s injury, but there’s no shortage of forward options in the slot.”
Alexander Isak scored against Tottenham on Saturday and had to be substituted.
Analysis from Sky Sports News’ Vinny O’Connor:
It’s not just a disappointment that Alexander Isaac will be out for a few months. At the very least, there is frustration and anger even over what happened.
Arne Slott described Xavi Simons’ red card as a tackle that he never thought would have hurt him, and he certainly couldn’t hide his emotions over Micky van de Ven’s challenge.
As for Van de Ven, Slott’s verdict was that “out of 10 of those tackles, I think 10 of them would have had a serious chance of seriously injuring the player.”
After suffering a recent setback with a stop-start start to his Liverpool career, there is hope that Isak will play a key role in the final stages of the season.
Slott knew it would take time for him to get better and the manager said: “It’s very unfortunate that he’s injured right now because I think everyone saw with this goal and the goal against West Ham that he’s getting closer and closer to the player he was at Newcastle last season.”
Whether the Isak situation highlights the need to retain Mo Salah or impacts activity during the transfer window, Slott was not going to go there.
He is focused on the players he has to work with and there is no shortage of forward options.
Hugo Ekitike has scored five goals in his last three Premier League games and continues to work hard to build his body to better cope with the rigors of the Premier League.
There is no doubt that Ekitike will shoulder a heavy burden as the focal point of Liverpool’s attack in Isaac’s absence. Kodi Gakpo can also act as a substitute, and Federico Chiesa or Salah can also step in when they return from the African Cup of Nations.
But at this point, I don’t expect Harvey Elliott to return to fill in the wide range of options. For the second time in a week, Alun Slott has claimed that questions about Elliott’s immediate future lie with Aston Villa.
Liverpool’s next 5 games
27 December – Wolves (H) – Premier League 1 January – Leeds (H) – 4 Premier League January – Fulham (A) – 8 Premier League January – Arsenal (A) – 12 Premier League January – Barnsley (H) – FA Cup
