After striker Cody Gakpo was hurt against Tottenham, Liverpool is waiting for scan findings with bated breath. After being viciously tackled by Spurs fullback Destiny Udogie, Gakpo is expected to miss about six weeks of action.
Gakpo’s ankle was badly twisted as his body travelled in the opposite way after being grabbed by Udogie’s lunging tackle. Gakpo kept playing at first, and he even scored an equalizer right before halfway. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp voiced alarm after the game, saying that Gakpo was spotted “limping down the corridor” and that this may indicate a serious injury.
It is hoped that no major harm would show up on the scans scheduled for this Sunday and the following week. However, a Twitter injury expert named @physioscout has expressed worry over a potential medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear due to the tension on the medial knee caused by the forced external rotation of the ankle. As for your ankles, the doctor was concerned and mentioned that wearing a brace is usually indicative of a grade 2 or 3 damage.
Grade 1 injuries often require one to two weeks to recuperate from, grade 2 injuries typically require three to six weeks, and grade 3 injuries typically require six to eight weeks. If the injury turns out to be serious, Gakpo might miss the next six weeks of action.
Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp has been depending on the depth of his roster and rotating players in recent weeks, so this is a major blow to the team. Gakpo was having a good season up to that point, starting for the sixth time and scored his third goal of the year against Tottenham. With Gakpo perhaps sidelined, the onus will fall squarely on the shoulders of Darwin Nunez, who is already toiling under the effects of a “little bone” injury he sustained while on international service with Uruguay, as disclosed by Klopp.
Diogo Jota will miss Liverpool’s next Premier League encounter due to suspension after receiving a red card for two bookings, joining the injured Gakpo on the sidelines. These absences will force Klopp to reshuffle his offensive options for Liverpool in the coming weeks.
