Liverpool defender Conor Bradley has been out injured since last month
Liverpool defender Conor Bradley has not featured for the Reds since being withdrawn in last month’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa and is not set to return to action this side of the international break.
A specific timeline had not been put on the Northern Ireland international’s return with manager Arne Slot saying at the end of February he’d be out for a few weeks. Speaking in the wake of the draw at Villa Park, Slot said: "I cannot exactly tell how many [weeks he will miss]. It's clear he went off with a muscle injury and it's going to take a while before he's back."
There’s been no update on the player since but he has now been all-but ruled out of the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon after being left out of Northern Ireland’s latest international squad.
Northern Ireland squad named - Bradley out
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has named his squad for friendlies with Switzerland and Sweden on 21 and 25 March but it was confirmed by the Irish Football Association that Bradley missed out due to injury. Bradley is a regular in the Northern Ireland team and has earned 23 caps since his debut while he captained his nation for the first time in October.
His absence from the 25-man squad suggests he won’t feature this weekend against Newcastle. Liverpool host Everton at Anfield in the second Merseyside Derby of the season in their first game back after the international break. It is unclear if Bradley could return for that game as he works his way back to fitness.
O’Neill has given more of a timeline for Bradley’s potential return. He said: "It wasn't that close, to be honest. Realistically, when you have an injury of that nature you always feel it will be a minimum of four to six weeks (out).”
That timeframe keeps Bradley out until the end of March at the earliest while he may not be back until mid-April. Former Everton striker Isaac Price has been selected again. He scored a hat-trick in the country’s stunning 5-0 win over Bulgaria in the Nations League back in October, on the same night Bradley captained the side.
Bradley’s season so far for club and country
Bradley remains the second-choice right-back at Liverpool after a breakthrough campaign last season under Jurgen Klopp. The 21-year-old has made 22 appearances for the Reds this season, with nine of those coming as a member of the starting XI.
He made six appearances for Northern Ireland in the Nations League as the Green and White Army secured promotion to League B with three wins, two draws and one loss.
Speaking after Liverpool reached the Carabao Cup final, Bradley said of Slot: “I’m sure he is buzzing with it. It is his first attempt to get there [Wembley] and he has got there. I am happy for him and he has been unbelievable since he has come in. He has developed me a lot and I’m really happy to play under him.”
Bradley’s absence against Newcastle this weekend has only been heightened by a potential injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was forced off in the second half of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield.
Related topics:Northern Ireland
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