Liverpool manager Arne Slot has said Alexander Isak faces “a couple of months” out injured after a “reckless” challenge by Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven.
Isak sustained a fracture to his left leg following a sliding tackle from Van de Ven as he scored for the Reds in a 2-1 win at Spurs.
The Sweden international had an operation on what Liverpool described as “an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture”.
“It’s going to be a long injury, for a couple of months,” said Slot. “It’s a big disappointment for him and, as a result, for us.”
On Van de Van’s challenge, he added: “This was for me a reckless challenge. The tackle of Van de Ven – if you make that tackle 10 times – I think 10 times there is a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said the tackle from Van de Ven was “a challenge I’d probably make”.
“There’s a lot been made about a lot of the challenges in the game from Tottenham players and a lot of them weren’t clever,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“I put myself in Van de Ven’s position and that’s a challenge I’d probably make.
“He’s trying to block it – it’s just the follow through. I don’t know where else anyone thinks his foot’s going to go. He has to make that challenge. You can’t let the striker just get a shot away in that situation.
“It’s just really bad luck for Isak. It’s probably one of the first glimpses we’ve seen of his real quality in a Liverpool shirt.”
“It’s a huge blow because I think Liverpool were actually one attacker short anyway.
