Conor Bradley sidelined for rest of season with knee injury
Liverpool have confirmed that Conor Bradley will be sidelined for the rest of the season after sustaining a serious knee injury requiring surgical intervention, reports BritPanorama.
The 22-year-old right-back suffered damage to both bone and ligament during Thursday evening’s Premier League encounter at Arsenal, though scans have ruled out any tear to his anterior cruciate ligament.
Surgery is scheduled for the coming days, after which the Northern Ireland international will commence his rehabilitation programme at the club’s AXA Training Centre. The Reds have declined to specify a recovery timeline at this stage.
Bradley’s absence also places his participation in Northern Ireland’s World Cup play-off against Italy in March in serious jeopardy. The injury occurred in the dying moments of the goalless stalemate at the Emirates Stadium, where Bradley went down clutching his left leg after attempting to clear a loose ball near the touchline during stoppage time.
What initially appeared to be a relatively innocuous incident proved far more serious, with the defender’s ankle seeming to roll before his knee twisted awkwardly. He had to be stretchered from the pitch following the incident in north London.
This represents the most significant setback of Bradley’s early career, having previously dealt with back problems and muscular issues since breaking through under Jürgen Klopp. The incident was overshadowed by Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli’s conduct towards the stricken defender. As the Gunners pushed for a late winner, Martinelli threw the ball at Bradley before attempting to shove him off the playing surface while he lay in agony.
His actions provoked fury among Liverpool’s players and medical staff, leading to a heated exchange involving Ibrahima Konaté and Alexis Mac Allister. Both Martinelli and Konaté received yellow cards from referee Anthony Taylor for their involvement in the melee. The Arsenal forward later expressed remorse via social media, stating he was “deeply sorry” and revealing he had already apologised directly to Bradley.
The Liverpool right-back had played 15 games and accumulated 935 minutes this Premier League season before his injury, recording two assists along the way. His disciplinary record included five yellow cards, and he made 11 tackles with an overall passing accuracy of 87 per cent. As Bradley begins the long road to recovery, his absence will undoubtedly be felt both at Anfield and on the international stage.
