Liverpool fans will be sweating over the recovery time for £125m striker Alexander Isak.
Isak has had a terrible start to life at Liverpool since joining from Newcastle in the summer, with the Swede struggling with fitness and match sharpness.
But now, things have got a whole lot worse after he fractured his leg against Tottenham on Saturday, an injury that is expected to keep him out for a while.
What ONE word sums up Liverpool’s signing of Alexander Isak?
How long exactly is not yet known, although how many games the last Liverpool player missed due to a broken fibula might just be a very telling sign.
Djibril Cisse was the last Liverpool player to break their fibula
An injury like this is quite serious and really does not occur too often at all, with Isak’s only happening due to a late challenge from Micky van de Ven.
The last time a Liverpool player suffered the same injury, it came all the way back in the 2004/05 season, with it happening to Djibril Cisse.
He picked up the injury against Blackburn after getting his boot caught in the ground during a battle for the ball with Jay McEveley, fracturing his tibia and fibula in the process.
Although he was expected to miss the remainder of the season, he ended up returning after 162 days, although he still missed 44 games for club and country.
This meant he returned in April after picking the injury up in November, indicating that Isak could make it back in May if all things go well, perhaps even early given that his injury is slightly less serious.
Liverpool fans will hope Alexander Isak does not suffer the same fate as Djibril Cisse
Who should replace Alexander Isak in Liverpool’s starting XI?
Arne Slot is running out of options…
Liverpool’s attacking options heading into the Christmas period:
- Hugo Ekitike
- Federico Chiesa
- Florian Wirtz
- Rio Ngumoha
The worrying thing about Cisse’s injury is that he was never the same player once returning, with it likely playing on his mind.
The likes of Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor said the same after they saw what happened, believing that it might always be in the back of his mind.
As well as this, Cisse suffered the same injury just two seasons later and missed another 39 games, showing how it really can be a recurring issue.
Reds fans will be praying the same does not happen with Isak and that he comes back stronger than ever, but as most things in football, nothing is guaranteed.
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