Conor Bradley Faces Extended Absence Due to Knee Injury

Conor Bradley, the Liverpool defender, exited the Emirates Stadium on crutches and with a knee brace after suffering a significant injury. He has been ruled out for the remainder of the domestic season due to damage affecting both bone and ligament in his knee.

The 22-year-old sustained the injury during a goalless Premier League draw against Arsenal on Thursday. He was forced to leave the field after awkwardly landing near the touchline while pursuing the ball in stoppage time. While the injury does not involve his anterior cruciate ligament, he is scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming days.

This unfortunate setback raises doubts about Bradley’s participation in the World Cup, should Northern Ireland qualify.

During the match, Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli apologized for his actions, which included attempting to push Bradley off the pitch while he was down injured. Martinelli dropped the ball on Bradley before pushing him in an effort to expedite the game’s continuation, which led to a confrontation between the players and resulted in yellow cards for both Martinelli and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate.

Martinelli later expressed regret for his behavior on Instagram, stating, “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.”

Since Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid last summer, Bradley has been Liverpool’s primary right-back, starting in 12 Premier League matches this season. Manager Arne Slot now faces a limited selection of alternatives, with Joe Gomez being the most likely option. Dominik Szoboszlai has also occasionally filled in as a full-back, while Jeremie Frimpong has recently been utilized further up the right flank.