Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak is set to spend a number of months on the sidelines after sustaining a serious injury in a challenge from Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven. Isak underwent a successful surgery on Monday to repair an ankle injury following scans that revealed the full extent of the damage. The injury occurred when Van de Ven caught Isak heavily while the Sweden international was scoring the opener in Liverpool’s 2-1 Premier League win at Tottenham on Saturday.
This marks the latest setback in what has been a challenging season since his controversial £125million transfer from Newcastle United in September. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot expressed his displeasure over the challenge by Van de Ven when discussing the length of Isak’s recovery on Tuesday morning.
Slot said: “Yeah, (Isak’s injury) was a reckless challenge. I’ve said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons, which for me was completely unintentional. I don’t think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that. But the tackle of Van de Ven, if you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a serious chance the player gets a serious injury.”
According to The Times’ Paul Joyce, Micky van de Ven has reached out to Alexander Isak to apologise for the challenge that left the striker with a broken leg. Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has also dismissed any suggestion of ongoing tension, stating that the matter has been resolved. “I am obviously disagreeing (with Slot) in many ways,” Frank said. “We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal. It is a transition, there is a ball down the side and he is doing everything he can to block the shot so he is sliding.
“Unfortunately Isak plants his foot so it makes it look worse than it is, but that is a natural action for a defender. Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders! Reckless challenge? I don’t think you see anything like that from Micky. He is very fair and I know the two players have sorted it out, so that’s a good sign.”
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