It’s been a brutal international break for Liverpool, and it only got worse with the news surrounding Sadio Mane on Monday. The forward was sent to the hospital after suffering a hand injury during training with the Senegal national team today.
Reports indicate that he has suffered a broken left thumb, and is now likely to miss his national side’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan on Tuesday night. He is also a doubt for Liverpool’s trip to Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Sadio Mane has broken this left thumb in training with Senegal national team, his injury could get worse if he played. He's expected to miss the game vs. Sudan and Liverpool's clash against Huddersfield in the Premier League. pic.twitter.com/U8weZuucy7
— Mootaz Chehade (@MHChehade) October 15, 2018
The good news is that the injury is not thought to be long term, or serious. However, the Sadio Mane news comes on the heels of fresh injury concerns for both their player of the year last season Mohamed Salah and the world’s most expensive defender Virgil van Dijk.
It’s not just that the injury bug keeps biting Anfield, it’s that the bug keeps biting the best players.
It’s understandable that Liverpool fans are fuming right now.
Salah suffered a muscular injury, which has been reported by some outlets as a groin issue. He has already returned to Liverpool, and it’s thought that his injury is not serious.
Van Dijk has also left his national side and returned to the Reds as a precaution, following the re-aggravation of a rib injury.
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman says that VVD will ready for action in the league fixture this weekend.
“He’s back to Liverpool and he’s ready to play for next week,” Koeman told a news conference today. “He takes a rest. He spoke to the manager.”
“The medical staff of the Dutch national team spoke to the medical staff of Liverpool and we made the decision that he was only playing the Germany game and then back to Liverpool.”
“He’s ready to play next weekend, yes.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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