Liverpool Await Results of Scan After Cody Gakpo Suffers Injury at Tottenham
Liverpool are anxiously awaiting the results of a scan after Cody Gakpo suffered an injury at Tottenham on Saturday night. Gakpo left London in a knee brace after a nasty challenge from Spurs full-back Destiny Udogie left him with an injury.
Speaking after the game, Jurgen Klopp explained that it was “possibly” a bad injury having seen him “limping down the corridor.” Injury specialist @physioscout voiced “concern for [an] MCL sprain” and explained that “[wearing] a brace typically indicates grade 2/3 injury” while there is “ankle concern too.” The typical timeframe for recovery is one to two weeks for grade 1, three to six weeks for grade 2 and six to eight weeks for grade 3.
If injury is confirmed, Gakpo will be facing a spell on the sidelines in the region of six weeks. This would be a major blow to Liverpool, with Klopp having employed the strong depth of his squad through rotation in recent weeks. Gakpo made his sixth start of the campaign on Saturday and scored his third goal, making it two goals in four days and three in a fortnight.
What Caused Gakpo’s Injury?
Gakpo’s injury was caused by a lunging tackle from Spurs full-back Destiny Udogie which saw him catch the Liverpool striker’s ankle, twisting it badly as his body went the other way, forcing him off at half-time. Udogie’s tackle saw Gakpo’s ankle forced into external rotation, stressing the medial knee.
What Are Liverpool’s Options Without Gakpo?
If Gakpo is out, there will be increased pressure on Darwin Nunez, who Klopp revealed before Saturday’s 2-1 defeat is struggling with a “little bone” injury picked up with Uruguay. The Reds’ other central striker option, Diogo Jota, picked up a one-match suspension for the Premier League with his red card for two bookable offences.
Conclusion
Liverpool are anxiously awaiting the results of a scan to determine the extent of Cody Gakpo’s injury. If confirmed, Gakpo will likely face a spell on the sidelines in the region of six weeks. This would be a major blow to Liverpool, with Klopp having employed the strong depth of his squad through rotation in recent weeks. If Gakpo is out, there will be increased pressure on Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota to step up in his absence.