Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Kostas Tsimikas suffered a broken collarbone after an accidental collision with the manager on the touchline during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal. The full-back, who was deputizing for the injured Andy Robertson, was forced off the pitch in the 35th minute after being bundled to the ground by Bukayo Saka near the touchline – colliding with Klopp as he tumbled off the pitch.
After the game, Klopp spoke to the press and confirmed the extent of Tsimikas’ injury, stating “He [Tsimikas] broke his collarbone at least. That’s really bad for us.” With both Tsimikas and Robertson injured, Joe Gomez was forced to fill in at left-back for the remainder of the 1-1 draw with Arsenal and may have to do so for an extended period.
The injury to Tsimikas wasn’t the only casualty in Saturday’s game, as wide forward Luis Diaz also appeared to suffer a knock in the second half. When Klopp was asked about Diaz’s potential injury, he replied, “He has pain, it was knee on knee and in that moment we wanted to change twice and then Lucho was down. And actually we first wanted to wait if maybe Lucho has to come off but then we decided [to] change all three because now we don’t have to wait how Lucho is and that’s what we did then.” Klopp continued, “Lucho told me ‘little pain’, physios were not too concerned, but you never know and we play in three days and you never know how quick the turnaround is, so we have to see. I don’t know.”
Robertson has been out of action since mid-October after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury suffered while on international duty with Scotland, and the addition of Tsimikas to the injury list leaves Liverpool’s left-back position severely depleted. With a busy schedule of fixtures over the coming weeks, Klopp will need to find a solution to his team’s defensive woes.
Liverpool will be hoping for positive news on the fitness of Tsimikas and Diaz in the coming days, as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures. The injuries to key players are a cause for concern for Klopp, as he looks to keep his team competitive in both domestic and European competitions.
The absence of Tsimikas and Robertson will test Liverpool’s squad depth, and Klopp will need to rely on the adaptability of his players to navigate through the busy festive period. With crucial matches on the horizon, Liverpool will be eager to minimize the impact of these injuries and continue their pursuit of silverware in the 2021/22 season.
