Liverpool manager Arne Slot has announced that Alexander Isak is likely to be sidelined for “a couple of months” due to an injury sustained from a “reckless” tackle by Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven.
Isak suffered a fracture in his left leg after Van de Ven’s sliding tackle while he was scoring for Liverpool in their 2-1 victory against Spurs.
The Swedish international underwent surgery for what Liverpool described as “an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture.”
“It’s going to be a lengthy recovery, lasting a couple of months,” Slot stated. “This is a significant disappointment for him and consequently for us.”
Van de Ven faced no repercussions for his tackle, while teammate Xavi Simons had previously been sent off for a late challenge on Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
Regarding Van de Ven’s tackle, Slot remarked, “to me, this was a reckless challenge. I’ve commented extensively on Xavi Simons’ tackle, which I believe was completely unintentional. I don’t think such a tackle would ever result in an injury.
However, with Van de Ven’s tackle, if you were to repeat it ten times, there’s a serious likelihood that a player would get hurt each time.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher described Isak’s injury as a “huge blow” for the team but mentioned that Van de Ven’s tackle was “a challenge I would probably make.” Carragher noted to journalists.
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“There’s been a lot of discussion about various challenges made by Tottenham players, many of which weren’t wise.
“If I were in Van de Ven’s position, I would likely make that challenge. He was trying to block it; it was just unfortunate that it resulted in an injury.
“You can’t allow the striker to take a shot in that situation. It’s just really bad luck for Isak; we were just beginning to see his true quality in a Liverpool shirt.”
Liverpool will face Wolves on Saturday, and in addition to Isak’s absence, Slot’s attacking options will be further limited as Mohamed Salah is participating in the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.
