Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley suffered a worrying injury and had to be stretchered off during the goalless Premier League draw against Arsenal. Bradley landed awkwardly while attempting to clear the ball and was replaced by Joe Gomez in added time.
Bradley’s injury adds to Liverpool’s growing list of absentees, including Hugo Ekitike, Wataru Endo, Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni, and Stefan Bajcetic. Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah was unavailable as he continues to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Arsenal missed the chance to go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. After a strong start, Liverpool went closest in the first half when Bradley hit the bar following a mix-up between David Raya and William Saliba.
The Gunners responded with long-range efforts from Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, but Liverpool’s defence held firm. The Reds grew stronger in the second half, with substitutes Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli testing Alisson in stoppage time.
The draw leaves Arsenal six points clear at the top, a smaller margin than they had hoped. Providing an update on Bradley’s injury, Arne Slot said: “Bradley’s injury doesn’t look good at all. I am afraid another injury has come up today. Let’s hope for the best but I fear the worst for Conor Bradley.”
“You don’t like to see a player being moved if he has such a big injury. I didn’t like to see my player moved with such a big injury.” Gabriel Martinelli nearly sparked a mass confrontation after shoving a visibly distressed Bradley off the pitch, moments after the Liverpool defender was forced off with an injury.
Bradley landed awkwardly while challenging for the ball with Martinelli in the closing stages of the match and appeared to be in significant discomfort.
Despite this, Martinelli reacted by throwing the ball at the downed defender and attempting to push him over the sideline in an effort to quickly restart play.
Reacting to the incident, Arne Slot said in his post-match press conference: “I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli but he comes across as a nice guy.
“The problem for him, and it’s a problem in general in football, is that there is so much time-wasting in the final parts of games that sometimes you can be annoyed when you want to score a goal and you feel a player is pretending to be injured. I’m 100 per cent sure if he knew what the injury might be, he wouldn’t do that.”
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