Liverpool Faces Injuries Despite Crucial Victory Over Tottenham
It was intended to be the moment that finally propelled Alexander Isak's season into gear.
Liverpool's £125 million signing came off the bench to score a stunning goal against Tottenham, deftly finishing past goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to give his team the lead.
On the sidelines, manager Arne Slot was elated, having witnessed Isak's impressive combination with Florian Wirtz, who recorded his first Premier League assist after joining for £116 million this summer.
With Mohamed Salah away on international duty for the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo sidelined due to injury, this moment hinted at Liverpool's promising future and the burgeoning partnership between their two record signings.
However, the celebration quickly turned to concern as Isak collapsed in pain following a tackle from Micky van de Ven. As his teammates rushed to his side, it became evident that Isak would not be able to continue.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Slot commented. “But if a player scores and then gets injured and doesn’t attempt to return to the pitch, that’s usually not a good sign.”
The outlook appears grim.
For Liverpool, who have seemingly turned a corner with an unbeaten streak of six matches, the injury concerns are mounting, as both Isak and Conor Bradley are expected to spend time on the sidelines.
To summarize their misfortune, Bradley had to be substituted at halftime due to a knock sustained by Isak. Isak was then replaced on the hour mark by Jeremie Frimpong, who was making his first appearance since October.
Frimpong, unfortunately, could not finish the match either, as he was substituted for Federico Chiesa in the 90th minute. Slot insisted that Frimpong was fine, explaining he didn’t want to risk playing with just ten men for the final seconds. Regardless, two players brought on by Slot were unable to complete the game.
Ultimately, Hugo Ekitike's goal helped Liverpool secure another vital victory, although they nearly faltered against a depleted Tottenham side that finished the match with nine players after Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero received red cards.
Jamie Redknapp described it as “a masterclass on how not to manage the final ten minutes” on Sky Sports, a sentiment echoed by Slot, who acknowledged the situation was far from ideal.
“It’s unbelievable that, against nine men, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the ball for eight and a half of the nine minutes added time. That’s not what you expect, and it may indicate where we are in this season,” Slot told BBC Match of the Day.
“We need a few more wins to feel more comfortable with setbacks. While the last ten minutes are on our minds, there were many positives to take from the first 80 to 90 minutes.”
More Questions Than Answers
Just two weeks ago, Liverpool squandered a two-goal lead against Leeds, conceding an injury-time equalizer after regaining the lead.
In London, they barely held on as Spurs relentlessly attacked, particularly after the introduction of Richarlison.
During the closing stages, it was Liverpool who appeared to be down two players on the pitch, a stark contrast to the control they exhibited throughout much of the previous season.
“We didn’t maintain possession when we had the ball. We kicked it away, leading to free-kicks, throw-ins, and corners for them. It became chaotic and hectic,” Slot added.
This chaotic trend has characterized Liverpool's season, yet they can take some solace in the fact that, after a dismal stretch of nine defeats in twelve matches, they head into Christmas level on points with Chelsea, who sit fourth.
“Overall, we had good control over the game,” Slot said. “We’re now six games unbeaten with four wins and two draws. We’re definitely not perfect yet, but both of our strikers scored, which is a positive takeaway from the match.”
While Liverpool celebrated their third consecutive victory, this match once again highlighted that the team has far more questions than answers. The most pressing question remains: how long will Isak be sidelined?