Liverpool have been dealt a Trent Alexander-Arnold injury blow, but Jurgen Klopp might already have the perfect replacement in his squad.
The 25-year-old full-back endured a mixed 2022/23 season, but he has bounced back this term with a string of impressive performances while pushing into midfield.
Alexander-Arnold has provided nine assists and scored two goals in 25 appearances in all competitions, proving that he is one of the best creative players in the Premier League.
His fine form has helped Jurgen Klopp's side establish a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, but he won't be able to help his teammates over the coming weeks.
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The England star suffered a knee injury during Liverpool's 2-0 FA Cup third round win against Arsenal on Sunday.
"Trent hyperextended his knee, so he has a little tear in the lateral ligament of his knee," said Liverpool assistant manager Lijnders.
"He had a scan. He will be out for probably three weeks. It's a big blow. We will really miss him.
"We will have to find new dynamics without him because he made our game flexible. Even in bad spells, he was the one putting the balls where we needed the difference.
"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 for us from deep."
Alexander-Arnold's absence is a major blow for Liverpool, who face Premier League tests against Bournemouth and Chelsea before the end of the month. Klopp's side also have a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham plus a FA Cup fourth round tie against either Norwich or Bristol Rovers to think about.
Without his vice-captain, Klopp could turn to 20-year-old defender Conor Bradley. The youngster impressed with a 15-minute cameo against Arsenal, his ninth senior appearance for the club.
The Northern Ireland international joined Liverpool in 2019 from boyhood club Dungannon Swifts, and two years later, he made his Liverpool debut in a Champions League group stage meeting with AC Milan.
After rising through the youth ranks, Bradley enjoyed a successful loan spell at Bolton in 2022/23 season before he was promoted to Klopp's squad last summer.
The full-back, who signed a new long-term contract with the club at the end of 2023, now looks set to contribute to Liverpool's assault on four competitions.
Bradley rotated between right-back and right-wing for Bolton, scoring seven goals and providing six assists in 53 appearances. His ability to play in more offensive positions could make him the perfect replacement for Alexander-Arnold in the coming weeks, meaning Liverpool won't need to bring in an emergency replacement before the transfer market closes.
Alexander-Arnold seems to think that anyway. When Bradley took to Instagram to celebrate his cameo at the Emirates, the England star commented: "Impact."
There's never a good time to lose a key player through injury, but Alexander-Arnold's absence could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
Topics: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp
Alex Brotherton