Arne Slot and Jamie Carragher disagree on Micky van de Ven challenge after Alexander Isak blow

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Arne Slot is far from happy with Micky van de Ven's challenge on Alexander Isak after the Liverpool striker was left with a broken leg, but Jamie Carragher takes a different view on it

Arne Slot and Jamie Carragher disagree on Micky van de Ven's challenge on Alexander Isak(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot and Jamie Carragher are in disagreement on Micky van de Ven’s challenge on Alexander Isak, which has left the Liverpool striker facing a long spell on the sidelines.

Isak was clattered into by the Tottenham defender in the process of scoring the Reds’ opener during Saturday’s 2-1 win in north London. Having been forced off less than 15 minutes after making his entrance as a substitute, it was confirmed earlier this week that the 26-year-old had suffered a broken leg.

Liverpool revealed that Isak underwent surgery on a fractured fibula and ankle injury, and now faces at least two or three months out of action.

The injury comes as a major blow not only for Isak, who would have hoped that his goal could have been the catalyst for him to kick on after a tough start to life at Anfield following his record-breaking move from Newcastle, but for Liverpool as well at a time when options in attack are running low.

And, though he did raise hopes of Isak returning before the end of the season, Slot seemed far from happy with Van de Ven’s challenge when he spoke about it on Tuesday during his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Wolves.

“For me, this was a reckless challenge,” Slot said. “I think I've said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons, which for me was completely unintentional, and I don't think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that.

Alexander Isak suffered a broken leg after Micky van de Ven's challenge(Image: Getty Images)

“The tackle of Van de Ven, if you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there is a serious chance that the player gets a serious injury.”

Not everyone agrees with the Liverpool boss though. Spurs boss Thomas Frank hit back at Slot’s comments when he spoke at his own press conference on Tuesday, while former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher insisted he would have been “astonished” if Van de Ven had been shown a red card for the tackle.

And Reds legend Carragher finds himself in the same boat, having defended Van de Ven when reviewing the incident on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.

“There’s a lot been made about a lot of the challenges in the game from Tottenham players, and a lot of them weren’t clever,” Carragher said. “I’ve put myself in Van de Ven’s position, and that’s a challenge I’d probably make.

“He’s trying to block it; it’s just the follow-through. I don’t know where else anyone thinks his foot’s going to go. He has to make that challenge.

“You can’t let the striker just get a shot away there in that situation. It’s just really bad luck for Isak. It’s probably one of the first glimpses we’ve seen of his real quality in a Liverpool shirt.”