Victory Marred by Injury: Liverpool
Edge Nine-Man Spurs as Isak’s Promise Turns to Pain

Liverpool, 21 Dec 2025 (ONA) — Liverpool
secured a chaotic 2-1 victory over a nine-man Tottenham Hotspur, a result
overshadowed by a potentially serious injury to their record signing Alexander
Isak, which compounded manager Arne Slot’s mounting selection crisis.

The match turned on a moment of
soaring hope and sudden despair for the hosts. After entering as a second-half
substitute, the £125 million striker Isak announced his arrival with a superb
finish past Guglielmo Vicario in the 73rd minute, providing a glimpse of a potent
new partnership with fellow big-money arrival Florian Wirtz, who registered the
assist.

However, the celebration was
brutally short-lived. Isak was immediately felled by a challenge from Micky van
de Ven and had to be stretchered off in clear distress, casting a pall over
Anfield.

The injury capped a punishing day
for Liverpool’s squad depth. Right-back Conor Bradley was substituted at
halftime, and replacement Jeremie Frimpong—making his first appearance since
October—was himself withdrawn late on as a precaution. Despite fielding two
red-carded Spurs players, following dismissals for Xavi Simons and Cristian
Romero, Liverpool nearly squandered their lead before Hugo Ekitike’s
89th-minute strike sealed the nervy win.

The three points extend Liverpool’s
unbeaten run to six games and lift them level with fourth-place Chelsea ahead
of the festive fixtures. Yet the victory comes at a significant cost, leaving
Slot to navigate a deepening injury list while searching for consistency from a
team that, despite recent results, continues to raise more questions than it
answers.

— Ends/Khalid