Liverpool suffered another injury blow during Sunday’s Carabao Cup final as Ryan Gravenberch was stretchered off following a challenge from Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo.
The Reds, who were already without a host of first-team regulars including Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, started the game with Gravenberch in midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo.
However, the Netherlands international went down in pain in the 23rd minute after colliding with Caicedo, with the stretcher soon brought onto the Wembley turf.
With so many players out injured already, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp – who was left incensed on the touchline in the aftermath of Caicedo’s challenge – brought on Joe Gomez as young right-back Conor Bradley moved into midfield.
Sidelined star forward Salah also showed his frustration with the tackle that left Gravenberch stricken on the floor, being shown on live television shaking his head and discussing the incident with his teammates.
Gravenberch now joins the legions of players in the Anfield treatment table. Key players Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Dominik Szoboszlai, Diogo Jota, Thiago, Joel Matip and Curtis Jones are all currently sidelined.
The fixture list doesn’t ease up for Liverpool after the Carabao Cup final. They are back at Anfield in midweek for their fifth-round FA Cup clash with Southampton and face Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Everton in the Premier League before the March international break.
There’s also a last-16 Europa League tie with Sparta Prague for manager Klopp to negotiate, with more trophies on the line for the German boss before he calls time on his career on Merseyside.
