Liverpool’s visit to north London featured a moment that quickly overshadowed the 0-0 draw at the Emirates. What should have been remembered as a disciplined result has instead left the club planning for the remainder of the season without Conor Bradley.
According to Paul Joyce, Northern Football Correspondent for The Times, the 22-year-old will miss the rest of the campaign after suffering a serious knee injury late against Arsenal. While Bradley avoided an ACL tear, scans revealed significant ligament and bone damage, and surgery is scheduled in the coming days.
Images of Bradley leaving the Emirates on crutches with his knee in a brace caused immediate concern, which has now been confirmed. Joyce described the injury as a “cruel blow” for both the player and Arne Slot’s squad, especially at a critical stage of the season.
Slot has already faced long-term absences, with Giovanni Leoni ruled out earlier and Alexander Isak still recovering from a broken leg. Bradley had become an important option at right-back, contributing energy, aggression, and tactical discipline, and his absence further reduces defensive depth.
The coach is now expected to rely on Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong, though Slot has often used the Dutch right-back in more advanced positions to exploit his pace. This raises familiar concerns about squad balance, workload, and fitness, particularly given Gomez’s injury history.
The timing of the injury is also frustrating for Bradley personally, given his stop-start development. Transfermarkt data shows he has missed over 270 days of football over the past three seasons, with this knee problem being the most serious. The international implications are also unclear, as it remains “too early” to know if he can feature for Northern Ireland if they reach the World Cup this summer.
Much of the post-match discussion focused on Gabriel Martinelli’s role in the incident, which later prompted a public apology from the Arsenal winger. Ultimately, the priority now is recovery, careful management, and ensuring this setback does not define what has otherwise been a promising career at Liverpool.
