Leeds United: How many points at Sunderland and Liverpool?
Leeds United’s New Year’s Day hosts have suffered a massive injury blow.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed he will be without star striker Alexander Isak for next month’s Premier League meeting with Leeds United at Anfield.
Leeds kick off the New Year with a trip to the reigning Premier League champions, which comes four days after their December 28 game against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The Reds will already be without Mohamed Salah who is at AFCON with Egypt, and £125million summer signing Isak will also be unavailable after suffering a broken leg over the weekend.
Isak suffered the injury while scoring Liverpool’s opening goal in a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur, with defender Micky van de Ven catching the Swede while lunging to try and block his shot. A statement on Monday night confirmed the summer arrival would undergo surgery on a broken ankle and head coach Slot has now spoken out.
"It's going to be a long injury. A couple of months," the Liverpool manager said. "That's a big, big, big disappointment for him and also for us. I'm confident he can [play a part towards the end of the season]. It's been a really challenging and difficult period for him.
“This was for me a reckless challenge. The tackle of Van de Ven, I think if you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there is a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury.”
Despite spending almost £500m in the summer, Liverpool are down to the bare bones in attack with Isak injured, Salah at AFCON and Cody Gakpo also out with an issue. The latter could return in time to face Leeds on New Year’s Day but that is no guarantee, while the game will also come too quick for any mid-season signings to feature.
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Slot does still have a wealth of attacking talent to call on, including £116m German Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, who scored twice at Elland Road in the reverse fixture, a 3-3 draw earlier this month. And the Liverpool boss insists he remains focused on two home games in which his side face a pair of relegation candidates in Wolves and Leeds.
“My only thoughts are on the upcoming two games [against Wolves and Leeds], two difficult ones again, two home ones which is nice," Slot added. "It's time for the players available to roll their sleeves up and our fans as well to help us get the best possible results.
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“The players who are available need to give everything they have and the fans, which they usually do. That's my focus."
Leeds’ immediate focus is on Sunday and their trip to the Stadium of Light, with fellow newly-promoted side Sunderland enjoying an incredible season back in the top-flight. Manager Daniel Farke will hope to have Lukas Nmecha back fit, following his three-game absence with a hamstring injury, while Sean Longstaff is also continuing to recover from a calf issue.
Daniel James is certain to miss out having picked up a hamstring tendon injury in last month’s 3-2 defeat at Manchester City. Leeds looked to have come through Crystal Palace on Saturday night without any obvious fresh issues.
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