Liverpool confirms 'significant' Conor Bradley injury news with Reds' worst fears realized
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Liverpool.com or go back to LFC Live.
Liverpool has confirmed that Conor Bradley will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a significant knee injury in the goalless draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. The Northern Irish right-back was forced off in clear distress, and subsequent scans revealed both bone and ligament damage in his knee. Although the club has stressed that the problem is not an ACL rupture, the extent of the damage is serious enough to require surgery in the coming days and a lengthy rehabilitation period.
The news is a major blow both for Liverpool and for Bradley personally. The 22‑year‑old had enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, emerging as a key option at right-back and providing energetic displays that had allowed Jürgen Klopp to rest Trent Alexander-Arnold more frequently. Bradley’s form had also put him firmly in the plans of the Northern Ireland national team, but the injury rules him out of their crucial World Cup play-off against Italy in March, ending his international season as well.
From Liverpool’s perspective, Bradley’s absence forces a reshuffle in defensive options at a critical stage of the campaign. Alexander-Arnold is expected to shoulder a heavier workload, while other squad players and academy prospects may be called upon to provide cover on the right side of defense. The club will monitor Bradley’s recovery closely, but there is no expectation he will play again this season.
While Liverpool has sought to strike a note of optimism by underlining that the injury is not the worst-case ACL scenario, the confirmation of bone and ligament damage still represents the realization of many supporters’ fears after seeing the defender leave the pitch against Arsenal. For Bradley, the focus now turns to a successful operation and rehabilitation, with the aim of returning fully fit for next season and resuming the rapid progress he had made in recent months.