Liverpool make Calvin Ramsay decision after Conor Bradley injury

 Liverpool defender Conor Bradley will miss the rest of the domestic season after sustaining a serious knee injury involving bone and ligament damage.

The 22-year-old was forced off during the 0-0 draw at Arsenal and will undergo surgery in the coming days. The injury is not related to his ACL.

He is now a doubt for Northern Ireland’s World Cup play-offs, including the semi-final in Italy on March 26.  Since Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, he has been Liverpool’s first-choice right-back, starting 12 Premier League games this season.

Arne Slot’s options are limited, with Joe Gomez able to cover and summer signing Jeremie Frimpong the most likely alternative. Dominik Szoboszlai has also filled in at full-back on occasion.

After the win over Barnsley on Monday night, Arne Slot called Bradley’s injury a “big blow” and praised the Northern Ireland international’s development in recent years.

Slot said: “First of all, let’s talk about him because Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving, and Conor Bradley already replaced him a few times last season really well, and the year before I came, he also had a good spell. He felt, and I felt the same, that this is going to be your time.

“And he missed so many games already because of mainly hamstring issues, and coming back from that and being in a team, progressing, getting better and better, staying fit. Then something like this happens.

“In a season before it started, where he thought: ‘This has to be my season’ – and I thought the same – to maybe play six, seven or eight games is a big blow for him. And I also think about Northern Ireland trying to reach the World Cup.

“So it is an enormous blow for him, but as a result of that, it is a big blow for us as well. Because I hope you don’t think I would like to play Dominik Szoboszlai as a right full-back.”

Calvin Ramsay had been attracting interest from Scottish clubs ahead of a potential January loan, but Conor Bradley’s season-ending injury has changed those plans.

The 22-year-old has returned to Liverpool’s first-team squad, having established consistent fitness this season. After being a regular starter and occasional captain for the U21s early on, Ramsay has been on the senior bench for the last few games.

According to The Athletic’s James Pearce, Ramsay was expected to go out on loan but is now likely to stay. Amara Nallo is set to leave on loan following the arrival of defender Mor Talla Ndiaye.