Liverpool midfielder Fabinho will be out until the New Year after sustaining ankle ligament damage in the 1-1 draw against Napoli on Wednesday night, the club have confirmed.
It means that the Brazilian international could miss up to ten fixtures, and perhaps even more if he doesn’t make a speedy recovery.
Jurgen Klopp made his concerns known about Fabinho’s injury after the match on Wednesday and it will be a big blow for the Reds manager. Fans on Twitter are not taking the news too well:
League over, day ruined
— Tom (@_TomLFC_) November 29, 2019
Depression is back. We gonna bottle it again pic.twitter.com/pAGpN4B84B
— Dave (@starklordx) November 29, 2019
Give him my ankles idec
— Daanish (@DBUTT_98) November 29, 2019
NOOOOOOO
— Dan (@DxnLFC_) November 29, 2019
Things like this are why I drink
— Toby Tarrant (@tobytarrant) November 29, 2019
Cancel Christmas
— YNWA (@LordNaby) November 29, 2019
Speedy recovery big man.
hope to see you back very soon.
?
— Lehlohonolo Papo ? (@papomcfc) November 29, 2019
Horrible to see. Get well soon.
— Marshall (@MarshaIIMCFC) November 29, 2019
Worst news for this year ? !!!
— Hanen Albay ??? (@hanindado) November 29, 2019
This will be a blow to challenge the PL, hopefully Hendo, Ox, Milner & Gini can play the part
— Uka LFC (@uka8) November 29, 2019
There are a number of candidates to replace the 26-year-old in the starting line up. Both Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum have played in the holding midfield role before.
However, with the captain having been almost exclusively used in a more advanced position in recent months, it does suggest that Wijnaldum may well be given the nod to replace Fabinho.
Whoever takes the role will have big boots to fill, and it will be interesting to see how Liverpool will cope without the Brazilian in the coming weeks.