LIVERPOOL, England (AP) – Liverpool striker Alexander Isak will be on the sidelines for two months due to injury. ankle and fibula fractures It was a tackle that coach Arne Slott described Tuesday as reckless.
Isaac underwent surgery on Monday, two days after the surgery. injured while scoring He scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Tottenham in the Premier League.
“It’s going to be a long injury for several months,” Slott said. “It’s a big disappointment for him and for us as a result.
“This was a reckless challenge for me. I have said many times about the tackle on Xavi Simmons (who was sent off in the same game for dragging a stud into Virgil van Dijk’s calf), but for me it was completely unintentional.”
“I don’t think you’re ever going to get hurt from a tackle like that. But when you do[Mickey]van de Ven’s tackle[on Isak]10, 10 tackles like that, there’s a good chance that a player could get seriously injured.”
Immediately after the shot, Van de Ven slipped into Isak and trapped the shot’s leg.
TV analyst and Liverpool great Jamie Carragher defended Van de Ven.
“A lot has been said about the many challenges of the Tottenham players during the match, but many of them were ill-advised,” Carragher told Sky Sports on Monday.
“I’ve been in Van de Ven’s shoes and that’s probably the challenge I would make. He’s trying to block it, but it’s just a follow-through. No one else thinks where his feet are going to go. He has to take that challenge. You can’t just let a striker shoot there in that situation. He can’t let that challenge happen.”
“It’s really unfortunate for Isak. This is probably one of the first glimpses we have of his true qualities in a Liverpool shirt.”
Coach Slott was doubly disappointed with Isak, as the Swedish international was just starting to get into form.
The player, who signed a record $170 million contract in England, had no pre-season due to a feud with Newcastle before his fitness suffered with a groin injury in October.
Liverpool have been patient with him and although he has started five of the past nine games, Slott, who expects Isak to return before the end of the season, does not expect him to be as sharp as he was last season at Newcastle.
“It was a really challenging and difficult period for him. Normally when you join a new club – he was very excited too – you want to show all the qualities you have, but that just wasn’t possible,” Slott said.
“Maybe no one understands this, but when you haven’t practiced at a serious level with your team for three or four months and you’re playing in this league, you have to be on top of your game to make an impact on the game of football.
“It took months because there was no pre-season, it was just games, games, games and very little time to train. We all knew he needed time. That’s why it’s unfortunate that he’s injured now. Everyone saw his goal against West Ham and with this goal (against Tottenham) he’s getting closer and closer to the player he was at Newcastle last season.”
