Ryan Gravenberch has added to Jurgen Klopp’s already massive injury problems after the Dutch midfielder was stretchered off against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.
The German manager was already without 10 senior stars ahead of kick-off, including Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai, but Gravenberch now takes that number to 11.
Szoboszlai in particular gave Klopp plenty to think about ahead of the game in terms of who would fill in for the midfield battle, with Gravenberch coming in alongside Alexis Mac Allister.
Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo however brought Gravenberch’s Sunday to a premature close, charging in and planting his studs down on the Dutch youngster’s ankle.
As well as the initial contact, the Chelsea midfielder’s momentum saw the Liverpool player’s ankle slide on the ground with the Blues star’s full weight pressing down on the joint.
Ryan Gravenberch was stretchered off before half time after a crunching challenge from Moises Caicedo
Caicedo did not get the ball, nor did he pick up a yellow or red card for his actions, despite Gravenberch requiring medical assistance to leave the field.
Following the injury, though, Joe Gomez was brought on, with Conor Bradley coming into midfield as Klopp scrambled to cover the holes in the middle of the pitch before half-time.
The German manager was visibly apoplectic with rage over on the touchline as his player was scythed down by the Ecuador international.
‘It’s extremely clumsy,’ said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp at the break.
‘It looks disgusting when you look at it like that. As we put a stop on it we can see that Caicedo’s not even watching. It’s definitely a yellow card.
‘I can see why Jurgen Klopp was so upset and disappointed with it, but i think in that situation, a yellow would suffice.’
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