Liverpool confirm Alexander Isak injury nightmare as striker goes under the knife | Football

Liverpool have confirmed that Alexander Isak has undergone surgery on a serious injury picked up in the win over Tottenham on Saturday.

The Swedish striker scored the opening goal of the game but was challenged by Spurs defender Micky van de Ven in the process.

The Dutchman was trying to block Isak’s shot but failed to do so and slid into the forward, leaving him in pain on the deck.

The summer signing from Newcastle was forced off as a result and there were quickly concerns that he had suffered a serious problem.

The club has now confirmed that an operation has been carried out on an ankle injury, which Liverpool say ‘included a fibula fracture’.

While the Reds have made no prediction on when Isak will return to action, he will be sidelined for a number of months with the injury.

The statement from the Premier League champions read: ‘Alexander Isak today successfully underwent surgery on the injury he sustained on Saturday.

‘The Liverpool striker was injured in a challenge in the process of scoring the opening goal against Tottenham Hotspur and had to be substituted.

‘After diagnosis, an operation was completed today on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture.

‘Isak’s rehabilitation will now continue at the AXA Training Centre, with no timeframe yet placed on his return.’

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher defended Van de Ven, saying it was a challenge that needed to be made and Isak was just unlucky to suffer as a result.

‘It’s a huge blow because I think Liverpool were actually one attacker short anyway,’ Carragher said.

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‘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. I’ve 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 there 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.’

Arne Slot has issues in his front line, with Mohamed Salah at the African Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo also out injured.

The Reds are back in action on Saturday at home against Wolves in the Premier League.

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