Conor Bradley will not feature for Liverpool again this season after the club confirmed the right-back has suffered a serious knee injury.
Bradley was injured late in Thursday’s goalless Premier League draw with Arsenal.
While he avoided an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Liverpool revealed there was significant ligament and bone damage, and the 22-year-old is set to undergo surgery in the coming days.
No return date has been given, but the severity of the injury rules Bradley out for the remainder of the campaign, dealing a major blow to Arne Slot’s side.
A club statement read: “Liverpool FC can confirm Conor Bradley has sustained a significant knee injury.
“The right-back suffered the issue in the latter stages of Thursday night’s Premier League fixture away at Arsenal.
“Bradley will undergo surgery in the coming days and then begin a period of rehabilitation at the AXA Training Centre. No timeframe is being placed on his return to playing at this stage of the process.”
It is also too early to assess whether he will be fit to captain Northern Ireland should they reach the World Cup, with Bradley set to miss March’s play-off semi-final against Italy.
Conor Bradley collapsed in pain at the Emirates and later left the stadium on crutches with his knee in a brace.
The incident was further highlighted when Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli attempted to push him off the pitch, believing he was time-wasting. Martinelli was widely criticised and later apologised.
The injury is the most serious of Bradley’s career and adds to Liverpool’s defensive problems.
He joins Giovanni Leoni, who is out for the season with an ACL injury, and Alexander Isak, who is recovering from a broken leg, on the sidelines.
Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong are among Slot’s remaining options at right-back, although Frimpong has recently been used further forward.
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