Paul Joyce explains why Liverpool are already planning without Bradley

Liverpool’s night in north London contained a moment that quickly became the main talking point long after the final whistle.

What should have been remembered as a disciplined 0-0 draw at the Emirates has instead left us planning the rest of the campaign without Conor Bradley.

According to Paul Joyce, Northern Football Correspondent for The Times, the 22-year-old will not play again this season after suffering a serious knee injury late on against Arsenal.

The Northern Ireland international avoided an ACL rupture, but scans confirmed significant ligament and bone damage, with surgery scheduled in the coming days.

Footage of Bradley leaving the Emirates on crutches with his knee in a brace immediately caused concern, and those fears have now been confirmed in the worst possible way.

Bradley injury leaves Liverpool short at the back

Joyce reported that while the injury is not career-threatening, it represents a “cruel blow” both for the player and for Arne Slot’s side at a delicate point of the season.

Our head coach has already had to contend with long-term absences elsewhere, with Giovanni Leoni ruled out earlier in the campaign and Alexander Isak still recovering from a broken leg.

Bradley had become an important option, offering energy, aggression and tactical discipline from right-back, and his absence further thins defensive depth.

Slot is now likely to lean on Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong as alternatives, although the Dutch right-back has been used higher up the pitch where his pace has altered games.

That dilemma raises familiar questions about balance, workload and risk management, particularly with Gomez’s own fitness record taken into account.

Bradley setback raises long-term questions

The injury also arrives at a frustrating time in the defender’s development, given his repeated stop-start seasons.

According to Transfermarkt data, Bradley has already missed over 270 days of football across the last three campaigns due to various injuries, with this knee problem now the most serious of them all.

There is also an international dimension, with Joyce noting it is “too early” to assess whether the full-back can be involved should Northern Ireland reach this summer’s World Cup.

Much of the post-match discussion centred on Gabriel Martinelli’s actions as Bradley lay injured, an incident that later prompted a public apology from the Arsenal winger.

Ultimately, though, the focus now shifts to recovery, careful management and whether this latest setback becomes a defining moment in a promising Liverpool career rather than just another cruel interruption.

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The post Paul Joyce explains why Liverpool are already planning without Bradley appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.