Liverpool have eliminated the possibility of Alexander Isak having suffered cruciate ligament damage – but still fear their record signing is set for a significant layoff.
Isak was injured after scoring the opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat of Tottenham, the impact of a heavy challenge from Mickey van der Ven leaving the Sweden international writhing in agony.
Though Isak was able to hobble off the pitch, with the assistance of Liverpool’s lead physio Chris Morgan and club doctor, Jonathon Power, there was immediate recognition it was not going to be a minor issue.
Speculation, inevitably, filled social media in the hours after the game that Isak, who arrived from Newcastle in September for £125million, had damaged his ACL and meniscus. This, understandably, left Liverpool enraged.
Liverpool’s number nine underwent scans on Sunday and while there was relief that the ACL had not been impacted, there is clearly damage to his lower left leg – van der Ven made contact in a scissor-action just above Isak’s ankle.
Only when the results are returned will Liverpool be able to make a plan for Isak but they are braced for a prolonged absence.
Alexander Isak was forced off with injury during Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham on Saturday
Asked about the injury on Saturday, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said: ‘We’ll have to wait and see. But if a player scores and then gets injured and doesn’t try to come back on the pitch, that’s usually not a good thing.’
This is the latest – and most serious – setback Isak has endured since swapping Tyneside for Merseyside. He arrived lacking match fitness and struggled to make an impact in his first six weeks, before suffering a groin issue against Eintracht Frankfurt.
He returned to score his first Premier League goal in victory at West Ham last month but his strike against Tottenham was the first time Isak had genuinely shown the quality of why Liverpool wanted to break the British transfer record.
Now he will not be available until deep into the New Year. Liverpool are already without Mohamed Salah, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations, and it leaves them with just Hugo Ekitike as their only fit central striker.
