Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Tottenham was overshadowed by a worrying injury to Alexander Isak, who left the field with an apparent left ankle problem less than 15 minutes after coming on and moments after putting his team in front in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Sweden striker, described as British soccer’s record signing, was introduced at halftime and broke the deadlock in the 56th minute with a crisp left-foot finish. As Isak struck, Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven slid in and caught the forward’s ankle. Isak did not celebrate. He received on-field treatment before being helped off by Liverpool’s medical staff.
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Manager Arne Slot said it was too soon to determine the severity of the issue.
“Let’s hope he is back with us soon,” Slot said. “Difficult to say to you now.”
Van de Ven was not penalized for the challenge, an omission that is likely to prompt debate after a match already shaped by disciplinary flashpoints. Tottenham finished with nine men following two red cards: Xavi Simons was dismissed in the 33rd minute for a studs-up tackle on Virgil van Dijk, and Cristian Romero was sent off in stoppage time.
Even reduced in number, Tottenham pushed the game to a tense finish. But the major storyline became Isak’s condition and what it could mean for Liverpool after the marquee forward delivered precisely the impact he was signed for — a decisive goal — before his night was abruptly cut short.
Isak’s introduction at the interval had signaled Liverpool’s intent to raise the tempo in the attacking third. His movement across the front line created the opening, and his composed, first-time strike was the kind of penalty-area clarity that can separate tight matches between top-six rivals. The instantaneous swing from elation to concern — a goal followed by an injury — quieted the visiting bench and focused attention on the forward’s left ankle as he was led away.
For Slot, the calculus now turns to timelines and contingencies. Early in his tenure, the manager has leaned on flexibility and verticality to stretch opponents, and Isak’s profile — pace to spin in behind, assurance on either foot, and a striker’s economy in the box — fits that approach. A spell on the sidelines would demand short-term adjustments and elevate the roles of Liverpool’s other forwards as fixtures continue to tighten through the winter calendar.
The officiating will also linger as a talking point. While Simons’ straight red reshaped Tottenham’s setup with an hour still to play, the absence of a card for van de Ven’s lunge on Isak, coupled with Romero’s late dismissal, produced a stop-start second half lacking rhythm. Liverpool navigated those interruptions well enough to see out the result, but the cost — measured in scans and treatment rooms — remains unknown.
Key moments from Tottenham vs. Liverpool:
- 33’ — Xavi Simons receives a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Virgil van Dijk, leaving Tottenham with 10 men.
- HT — Alexander Isak comes on for Liverpool as a halftime substitute, altering the visitors’ attacking shape.
- 56’ — Isak scores with a left-foot finish for 1-0; in the act of scoring, he is caught on the left ankle by a sliding challenge from Micky van de Ven and requires assistance to leave the field.
- Van de Ven’s challenge goes unpunished by the match officials.
- Stoppage time — Cristian Romero is sent off, reducing Tottenham to nine men before the final whistle.
- Full time — Liverpool win 2-1 away to Tottenham.
Slot offered no timetable for a return and stressed the need for further assessment to establish the nature of the damage. That process will dictate whether Liverpool’s attack must be reshuffled in the coming weeks or whether Saturday’s scare proves only a fleeting setback for the club’s record buy.
What is not in dispute is the clarity of Isak’s contribution in a brief, eventful cameo: a striker’s finish to tilt a demanding league match, followed by an injury that briefly hushed a high-stakes evening. The result aids Liverpool’s momentum. The bigger question is whether the player who delivered it will be fit to help sustain it.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
