Arne Slot fumes at Micky van de Ven after Alexander Isak blow confirmed by Liverpool

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Arne Slot has hit out at Micky van de Ven after the Tottenham defender's challenge left Alexander Isak with a broken leg, with the Liverpool striker now facing a long lay-off

Micky van de Ven's challenge on Alexander Isak left the Liverpool striker with a broken leg(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot has taken aim at Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven, with the Liverpool boss not happy with the challenge that caused Alexander Isak to break his leg.

Isak is facing a long lay-off now after it was confirmed that he had to undergo surgery on Monday, having suffered a fractured fibula and ankle injury after Van de Ven’s late tackle on him during the Reds’ 2-1 win in north London.

The Tottenham defender escaped any punishment for the challenge, unlike his teammates Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero, who were both sent off for separate incidents involving Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

Slot though is far from pleased with Van de Ven’s challenge, which he viewed as being worse than the foul committed by Simons on Van Dijk.

The Liverpool boss is now counting the cost of a growing injury list, having confirmed Isak faces at least a couple of months out now, with his squad being stretched to its limits.

“That's the extra problem you get with injuries,” Slot said in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Wolves.

“Most of the injuries we have are not related to overloading, so Alex's injury, that has nothing to do with overloading a player, the same with Wata [Wataru Endo].

Alexander Isak faces a long lay-off after Micky van de Ven's challenge(Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

“Of course, there are one or two who might have to do with overloading, so Cody [Gakpo] has a muscle injury, the same is to be said about Joe Gomez.

“But for me, this was a reckless challenge. 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.

“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.”

Despite Slot’s anger, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has insisted that it was the right decision not to show Van de Ven a card of any sort.

"I can't see that he's done anything that a footballer wouldn't," he explained. "I would be astonished if that was given as a red card anywhere on the field.

"Players mistime challenges all the time. He's slightly late... it's not a red card. Whether it be in the penalty area, in the D, the centre circle or the other half."