Alexander-Arnold Ruled “Out for a Few Weeks” with Hyperextended Knee

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Liverpool’s fullback injury issues have gone from concerning to crisis—but the club’s January fixture list might be cause for some slight optimism.

Liverpool’s fullback injury problems turned into a full blown crisis today with news Trent Alexander-Arnold had suffered a hyperextended knee with mild tearing of the ligaments, with the only good news being he’s only expected to be out a matter of weeks.

Having already lost starting left back Andy Robertson and backup Kostas Tsimikas to injury, Liverpool’s fullback depth situation was looking rather worrying with swing defender Joe Gomez called upon to fill in at the position in recent weeks.

That move left the Reds without established cover for right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, and with Liverpool’s star creator now ruled out it will likely mean that 20-year-old Conor Bradley will be called upon to play the position for at least the next two games.

“Trent hyperextended his knee during the last game,” assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders shared at his pre-match press conference ahead of the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Fulham. “He has a little tear in the lateral ligament of his knee and he will need time to recover.

“He had a scan and he will be out for a few weeks, so let’s see after that. He will get some rest and then hopefully he can come back to where he was. Because this guy was decisive in all the games and was the one who created constantly. We will really miss him.”

If there ever could be a fortunate time to miss a few weeks for Liverpool, it’s now, with the two legs against Fulham and a league game against Bournemouth sandwiching the club’s brief January break.

Following the second leg of the League Cup semi final on the 24th, they play either Norwich City or Bristol Rovers at Anfield in the FA Cup 4th round on the 27th before Chelsea visits in the league on January 31st. Then, it’s a trip to The Emirates to face Arsenal on February 4th.

That fixture list and a timeline of a few weeks means, optimistically, that Alexander-Arnold—and also potentially Robertson—might well be fully healed up and match fit for those last two games, and if they are everyone around the club will breathe a massive sigh of relief.