Reds rocked by Isak blow after surgery on broken leg

LONDON — Liverpool striker Alexander Isak faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after the Premier League champion revealed on Monday that he had surgery on an ankle injury that included a fractured fibula.

Isak, who signed from Newcastle for a British record 125 million pounds ($168 million) in September, suffered the injury in the process of scoring in Liverpool's 2-1 win at Tottenham on Saturday.

The 26-year-old was tackled by Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven and limped off immediately after his goal.

"Alexander Isak today successfully underwent surgery on the injury he sustained on Saturday," a Liverpool statement said.

"After diagnosis, an operation was completed today on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture.

"Isak's rehabilitation will now continue at the AXA Training Centre, with no timeframe yet placed on his return."

Isak's injury is the latest setback in his disappointing start to his life with Liverpool. He has scored just three goals in 16 appearances since completing his protracted move to Anfield.

A dispute with Newcastle meant he did not have a proper preseason program and arrived at Liverpool well behind his teammates in terms of fitness. His season was then interrupted by a groin injury.

Isak's absence will be a major blow for Reds boss Arne Slot, with Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo not ready to return from a muscle injury until early in the new year.

It leaves Slot with just Hugo Ekitike, who has five goals in his past four games, and the little-used Federico Chiesa as his only senior forwards.

'Really bad luck'

"It's a huge blow, because I think Liverpool were actually one attacker short anyway," former Reds defender Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports.

"It's just really bad luck for Isak. It's probably one of the first glimpses we've seen of his real quality in a Liverpool shirt."

Liverpool, whose Premier League title defense collapsed after a shocking run of results, has climbed to fifth in the table after extending its unbeaten league run to five games.

Speaking immediately after the game, Slot had admitted Isak's injury was "not a good thing".

Now, Slot has to plan for Isak being out for a sustained period, raising the prospect of Liverpool moving for an attacker in the January transfer window.

Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo has been linked with a move to Anfield and Carragher said: "I think we all know he's got a buy-out clause in January, and then you've got wide players in Salah and (Cody) Gakpo, who've played a lot of games through the middle as well."

Isak's injury may also sway Liverpool into keeping Salah, who had been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia following his recent tirade, in which he claimed that he had been thrown under the bus by the club and no longer had a relationship with Slot.

Salah's rant, which came after he was left on the bench for three successive matches, prompted Liverpool to leave him out of the squad for a Champions League match at Inter Milan. But he returned to action as a sub against Brighton before leaving for AFCON.

"I think for certain now, Mo Salah will be staying at the club. I think there's a good chance Harvey Elliott will come back from his loan at Aston Villa as well," Carragher said.

AFP