Report: Injury Concerns Leave Liverpool Exposed at Right Back | OneFootball

Injury Woes and Right Back Concerns Cloud Bradley’s Return

As Liverpool prepare for the final charge toward a potential title under Arne Slot, the right back position has emerged as a point of real concern. Speaking on the Media Matters podcast on Anfield Index, both Dave Davis and David Lynch offered insights that shed light on the club’s injury situation and cast a wary eye toward the fitness reliability of young defender Conor Bradley.

Pressure Builds at Right Back

The discussion began with a grim update on Liverpool’s available options at right back. With Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to return in April, and Conor Bradley still absent, there’s a very real possibility that Jerel Quansah may once again be forced to fill in out of position.

“I don’t think it’ll be Trent,” confirmed Lynch, noting that “I’d be pretty surprised if he was back for the derby.” On Bradley, he admitted: “I haven’t heard anything for a couple of weeks now… don’t know if that’s still maybe another game or another couple of games away.”

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Quansah’s involvement as a makeshift right back during the recent fixture against Newcastle was seen more as a necessity than a solution. “I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see Quansah lining up at right back again… it does affect the balance of the team,” Lynch explained, acknowledging the shortfall in natural options.

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Bradley’s Injury Record Raises Questions

Bradley, once viewed as a natural successor to Alexander-Arnold, has seen his development curtailed by repeated muscle injuries. Lynch was candid in his assessment: “Connor Bradley’s… actually missed more games than he’s been available for in the last few years.”

The recurring nature of his setbacks is worrying. “The fact it’s consistently muscle issues is a little bit of a concern because… the players who tend to get those tend to get them a lot,” Lynch said, referencing past struggles with similar problems from players like Ibrahima Konaté.

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Despite those setbacks, there remains some optimism about Bradley’s future. Lynch praised the medical and coaching staff: “They’re capable of managing these issues… hopefully in the coming years they can get on top of Bradley’s issues and it doesn’t prove to be a problem.”

Still, the underlying worry persists. As Lynch cautioned, “Is he going to be able to get through a season in the way that Trent generally has done?… Availability we always say is the best ability, isn’t it?”

Recruitment Concerns Going Into the Summer

With all three right backs unavailable, questions are mounting about Liverpool’s recruitment strategy. Though there have been no imminent links to right back targets, Lynch observed: “We’ve not really discussed right back… but I think a lot of people suspect what’s going to happen with Trent by this summer.”

Should Trent leave, Liverpool could face a void not only in quality but in availability. “When Trent goes, you can’t replace what he does… you might as well have an orthodox right back who is very good at doing right back things, which is what Connor Bradley is,” said Lynch.

But with Bradley’s track record of injuries, relying on him as a long-term solution is a risk. “He needs to up that kind of resistance and ability to get through these seasons,” Lynch noted, adding that it’s vital this is just “a little bit of a bump in the road” and not a chronic problem.

Title Charge Hinges on Depth and Durability

As Dave Davis rightly put it during the podcast, “Positional-wise… we literally have no right backs.” That stark assessment underlines the precarious nature of Liverpool’s squad depth at a time when every fixture counts.

Liverpool have navigated this season’s challenges admirably, but their margin for error is narrowing. Should Bradley’s injury woes persist, and with uncertainty surrounding Trent’s future, the right back role could become a decisive factor not just in the run-in, but in how the club approaches a critical summer of squad evolution.