Liverpool secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bournemouth, maintaining their lead at the top of the Premier League. While Mohamed Salah’s brace ensured all three points, the match was overshadowed by an injury concern for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The right-back was forced off in the 70th minute after appearing to suffer a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Conor Bradley, who saw out the remainder of the match. Alexander-Arnold’s early departure has raised concerns ahead of Liverpool’s crucial upcoming fixtures.
Speaking after the match, head coach Arne Slot addressed the injury, revealing that Alexander-Arnold himself requested to be substituted.
“The situation was that he said to me, ‘You have to take me off,’” Slot explained. “He sat on the floor, and we had to take him off – he felt something.”
While the full extent of the injury remains unclear, Slot admitted that the early signs are worrying. “I cannot tell you exactly what it is and how bad it is because we are just an hour after the game, but it’s never a good sign when a player asks for a substitution.”
“This is not a fact, but I would be surprised if he plays on Thursday. Let’s hope he’s back with us as soon as possible.”
Liverpool faces Tottenham in the League Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield on Thursday, where they must overturn a 1-0 deficit. With Alexander-Arnold likely sidelined, Bradley is expected to start at right-back.
Following the cup clash, the Reds have a packed schedule, including a league match against Plymouth on Sunday, before facing Everton (A), Wolves (H), Manchester City (A), and Newcastle (H) in the coming weeks.
This is not the first time Alexander-Arnold has struggled with hamstring issues. He previously missed three matches in November due to a similar injury and has now suffered three hamstring-related setbacks in the last 18 months.
