Liverpool have their fair share of injury issues going into their meeting with Wolves this weekend.
Alexander Isak was injured against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday after a tackle from Mick van de Ven.
One analyst now thinks Isak will be out for 2-3 months after he underwent surgery this week.
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Liverpool’s absentee list is starting to pile up, but who will be the biggest miss against Wolves?
Liverpool absentee list
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Elsewhere, Arne Slot provided a Liverpool injury update in his pre-Wolves press conference on December 23, confirming Wataru Endo and Joe Gomez will miss the tie, while Conor Bradley and Cody Gakpo’s chances of featuring are 50/50.
While the Merseyside outfit have their own problems right now and Isak’s long-term absence is a blow, a former Red is also dealing with a big injury issue.
Takumi Minamino is likely to miss World Cup with Japan
Takumi Minamino left Liverpool to sign for Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco in the summer of 2022.
They were recently in cup action against AJ Auxerre on December 21, securing a 2-1 win.
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The former Liverpool man played 36 minutes of the clash but has picked up a long-term injury in the aftermath.
After initial fears about Minamino’s injury, ESPN has reported that the Japan international has torn his ACL and will now almost certainly miss the 2026 World Cup.
ACL injuries generally take around nine months to recover from, meaning the ex-Red is not expected back until around late August/early September 2026.
It’s a heartbreaking situation for the player, who has seen his career improve on the back of his Anfield exit.
FILL IN THE BLANK: Arne Slot MUST start — vs Wolves! 🙏
Arne Slot raises his fist to the Anfield crowd after Liverpool's Premier League win against Brighton
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Takumi Minamino could have offered more to Liverpool
Minamino signed for Liverpool in 2020 from Austrian outfit RB Salzburg.
However, he struggled to break into the eleven and in his final season, notched just 178 minutes across 11 Premier League matches.
Speaking in June 2022, shortly before he left, the player admitted to having ‘anger and regret’ about the 2021/22 season.
As per Sanspo, he said: “Many of the games I played weren’t of interest to anyone. Even if I left the results, there wasn’t much response. I was trying to inspire myself to prove my worth. I was doing personal training other than team training.
“I was thinking that I would leave something behind when I went to the match mentally.
“I felt motivated by regret and anger every day. I’ve never had this much time as a player. It was difficult to maintain the condition and connect with my feelings.”
Prior to his recent injury, Minamino had cemented himself as a key player at AS Monaco, showcasing his versatility while excelling as a number 10 and on both wings.
Given the injury problems and potential issues around Salah’s long-term future now, the Japan international could well have become a key player at Anfield had he just stuck around for a few more years.
Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it was great to see the ex-Red thriving elsewhere, and he can hopefully pick up where he left off once he returns next year.
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