Liverpool could be facing a serious defensive injury dilemma if they’re not cautious.
Conor Bradley had to pull up in the second half at Villa Park after coming on for Trent Alexander-Arnold just past the hour mark.
Arne Slot was then forced to bring on center-back Jarell Quansah to replace the 21-year-old, with Joe Gomez already sidelined, as Liverpool saw out a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa.
Is Conor Bradley dealing with a hamstring injury?
The early signs aren’t encouraging for the Northern Ireland international.
Fan footage from Villa Park, captured by @asim_lfc, appeared to show Bradley signaling to the physios that he was experiencing hamstring discomfort.
It’s a concerning development, especially since Bradley had only returned to first-team action earlier this year after sustaining a similar injury late in 2024.
At the very least, he seems set to miss key upcoming Premier League fixtures against Manchester City (away) and Newcastle United (home).
Arne Slot provided an update post-match:
“It is difficult, but he felt something when he sprinted. He tried to carry on but had to come off,” the Liverpool boss explained.
“With injuries, I always say that when a player takes himself off, it’s usually not a good sign.
“I would say he is 99.9% unlikely to be available for City and I don’t expect him against Newcastle either.
“Then we will have to see whether it’s a one or two-week issue or something even longer.”
Liverpool must carefully manage Trent Alexander-Arnold
With Alexander-Arnold’s fitness already being closely monitored—hence his second-half substitution—Liverpool are treading a fine line when it comes to injuries.
Currently, there’s no senior backup for the right-back position, meaning an untimely injury to the vice-captain could leave the squad in a difficult spot.
How Arne Slot handles Alexander-Arnold’s minutes across a crucial week featuring games against City and Newcastle will be a major challenge.
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