‘A long injury’ – Arne Slot confirms Liverpool fans’ worst fears with timeline for Isak absence

Arne Slot has put a projected timeline on how long Alexander Isak will be sidelined with injury.

In scoring Liverpool’s first goal in their 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday, the Swedish striker was felled by a wild challenge from Micky van de Ven and had his involvement in the match ended within minutes of coming on as a half-time substitute.

There were initial fears that the 26-year-old may have suffered a suspected broken leg, and the club subsequently confirmed that he underwent an operation on an ankle injury which included a fibula fracture.

Slot puts timeline on Isak injury absence

Slot addressed the media on Tuesday morning ahead of the Reds’ upcoming fixture against Wolves two days after Christmas, and his anguish over Isak’s misfortune was evident in his declaration of how long the striker will likely be sidelined.

The Liverpool head coach stated (via Liverpool Echo): “It’s going to be a long injury – a couple of months. That’s a big, big big disappointment for him and also for us.”

A hammer blow for luckless Isak and for Liverpool

Isak must wonder when Lady Luck will finally give him a break, with the striker enduring a stop-start campaign since joining Liverpool from Newcastle at the end of the summer.

Just as it seems that his career at Anfield is about to take off, the 26-year-old has suffered a horrific setback which could continue to beset him even after he returns to action, given the staccato nature of his season so far.

Slot’s update would suggest that the earliest we’ll see the Swede again will be towards the end of February, potentially for the home match against West Ham. The Reds will play a minimum of 13 games before then, possibly as many as 16 depending on FA Cup and Champions League fortunes.

That’s a lot of football for Isak to miss as he seeks to repay his £125m transfer fee, and for Liverpool to be without the centre-forward, thus heaping pressure on Hugo Ekitike to not only remain fit but also to maintain the magnificent scoring form he’s shown in recent weeks.

The one silver lining is that the body blow has come at a time when the Merseysiders could reinforce their attack in the transfer window, with speculation over a potential swoop for Antoine Semenyo sure to intensify in the coming weeks while the market is open.

In the meantime, we wish our number 9 well in his recovery and hope to see him back in action as soon as possible.

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