Slot unhappy with Van de Ven after Isak injury: ‘A reckless challenge’

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot accused Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven of causing a serious injury with his “reckless challenge” on Alexander Isak after the striker was ruled out for a “couple of months” with a broken leg.

Isak has undergone surgery on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture and is set to be sidelined for the foreseeable future. The £125m signing suffered the injury as he scored the opening goal against Tottenham on Saturday, as Van de Ven dived into the tackle in an attempt to make a block in the penalty area.

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Van de Ven was not punished for the tackle, unlike Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons - who was sent off in the first half after catching Virgil van Dijk on the calf with his studs.

Afterwards, Slot accepted that Simons’ tackle was accidental - but, speaking on Tuesday, the Dutch coach said he was disappointed with the nature of Van de Ven’s lunge and accused his compatriot of causing a “serious injury” with dangerous play.

Isak’s injury adds to Liverpool’s list of absences as they enter the festive period and a home match against Wolves on Saturday. Slot will also be without Mohamed Salah, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations, and the suspended Dominik Szoboszlai, while Conor Bradley and Cody Gakpo were described as “50-50”.

Isak has endured a stop-start first season at Liverpool since joining the Reds from Newcastle on deadline day and the club had to be patient while he worked on his fitness having missed pre-season training after going on strike to force through a move.

And Slot, who indicated the club are hopeful that Isak could still play again this season, was angered that the Sweden international’s latest setback came as he was getting closer to his best form, having scored just his third goal for Liverpool against Spurs.

“For me it was a reckless challenge,” Slot said. “I spoke a lot about the challenge from Xavi Simons which was completely unintentional. I don't think you'll ever get an injury from that tackle. The tackle of Van de Ven if you make it ten times, I think ten times there is a serious chance a player gets a serious injury.

“It's going to be a long injury - a couple of months. A big, big disappointment for him and for us.”

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Slot admitted Isak has been through a “really challenging and difficult period” since joining Liverpool for a British transfer record fee of £125m and said the striker will need support as he attempts to recover and play some part in the rest of his first season at Anfield.

‘Usually when you join a new club you are very excited and you want to show immediately all the qualities you have, but that was simply impossible,” Slot said.

“Maybe no one understands, but if you haven't trained for three or four months on a serious level with the team and you are playing in this league, in this league you need to be on top of your game to impact a game of football.

“That took, which we all knew, months before we could bring him there because there was no pre-season, there were games, games, games, games, games, hardly any time to train.

“So we always knew that it would take him time and that's why he's so unlucky that he's now injured because I think we all saw with his goal against West Ham, with this goal [against Tottenham], that he got closer and closer to the player he was last season at Newcastle.”