Liverpool have had plenty of positive injury news over the past few weeks.
Results may have started to turn against the Reds as they look to finish Jurgen Klopp’s reign at the club in style. But they finally look to have most of their squad back available.
It has truly been a torrid year for Liverpool on the injury front. Klopp has seen his first-team squad decimated at various points of the season. After Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker returned on Sunday though, the manager now almost has a full compliment.
Alisson in particular showed just how much the Reds have missed him. The defeat against Crystal Palace would have been worse had it not been for the goalkeeper’s wonder save from Jean-Philippe Mateta’s shot.
It wasn’t all good news in terms of injuries though, as Conor Bradley was forced off just after half-time. Having filled in ‘sensationally’ for Alexander-Arnold, the workload took its toll on Bradley. Today, the extent of his issue has been revealed.
Conor Bradley injury extent revealed
It’s typical of Liverpool’s luck this campaign that just as Alexander-Arnold comes back, his understudy goes down with an injury of his own.
Of course, Bradley would have been dropped back to bench duty with Trent back to fitness. But Klopp admitted in the days leading up to the Palace game that he was going to have to be careful with his No.66.
In an ideal world, you’d imagine that the manager would have wanted to rotate between them until Alexander-Arnold is 100 per cent again. Now, as per the Liverpool ECHO, that isn’t going to be possible. They claim that Bradley will in fact be missing for at least the rest of April’s fixtures.
Luckily, it is said that the 20-year-old’s issue is not as ‘concerning’ as Liverpool had first feared. Nevertheless, he isn’t expected back until May at the earliest.
Obviously, that will almost see the Reds’ season out. They play just three games in May, unless they somehow make it though Thursday’s Europa League clash with Atalanta.
It would still be handy to have Bradley back though, and it reportedly ‘hasn’t been ruled’ that the Northern Irishman could return to face Tottenham Hotspur on May 5th. From there it’s claimed that he could ‘potentially’ play a part in the remaining fixtures.
Who else is still injured for Liverpool
It’s so unfortunate for Bradley to have been injured at such a crucial time of the season. Although it may not feel like it after Sunday, it’s all still to play for for Liverpool.
Having him up their sleeve to give Alexander-Arnold a little rest could have been crucial. Still, it’s true that Bradley had been looking a little jaded of late, and Joe Gomez can step in to cover if needed.
Besides Bradley, Liverpool are still without two or three first-team members. All of Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Ben Doak look likely to miss the rest of the season.
Heading into the final stretch of his Reds career, Jurgen would obviously prefer to have everyone available. But with Bradley’s campaign not definitively over, this will do for now. Let’s get back up and come out swinging, Reds!