Liverpool have confirmed that full-back Conor Bradley will miss the rest of the season following a ‘significant knee injury’ picked up against Arsenal.
Bradley was seen as the natural heir to Trent Alexander-Arnold when the right-back left for Real Madrid in the summer. The Northern Irishman had impressed in his position in previous seasons.
The signing of Jeremie Frimpong might have suggested Liverpool perhaps didn’t have the utmost faith in Bradley, but he has started 12 times in the Premier League this season, including each of the last three games.
In the last of those, against Arsenal, Bradley was almost at the end of the game when he turned awkwardly upon landing and was visibly distressed by the knee pain that followed.
While writhing in pain on the floor, Gunners winger Gabriel Martinelli attempted to shove Bradley off the pitch, which was met with hostility from the Liverpool players.
The Reds have now confirmed that Bradley’s injury is ‘significant’ and reports elsewhere state he’ll be out for the season.
Liverpool state the Northern Irishman will undergo surgery in the coming days.
There was a furore in the aftermath of Bradley’s injury, with commentator Gary Neville suggesting the Liverpool players did well not to belt Martinelli after he shoved the defender off the pitch.
The Arsenal winger since revealed he has apologised to Bradley for that action.
He said: “Conor and I have messaged and I have already apologised to him.
“I really didn’t understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment. I want to say I’m deeply sorry for reacting.
“Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery.”
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With Frimpong currently playing on the right wing for Liverpool, which could potentially continue beyond next weekend given Mohamed Salah’s Egypt are in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations, the Reds currently have few options at right-back.
Dominik Szoboszlai has played the position this season, but has starred in the midfield when playing there, and Joe Gomez came on to replace Bradley in the latter stages of the Arsenal game, though he’s played just over 500 minutes this term.
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