Alexander Isak injury: Liverpool striker set for lengthy absence after 'reckless' Micky van de Ven challenge, says Arne Slot

Arne Slot has confirmed that Alexander Isak is set for a long spell on the sidelines with a broken leg after a "reckless" challenge from Micky van de Ven in Liverpool's win at Tottenham.

The Sweden striker underwent surgery on Monday.

"It is going to be a long injury, a couple of months," confirmed Liverpool head coach Slot in Tuesday's press conference before their match with Wolves. "That is a big, big disappointment for him and, as a result, also for us."

Isak sustained the injury when Van de Ven attempted to prevent him from scoring the opener in Liverpool's 2-1 win in north London, sliding into the striker and leaving him unable to celebrate as he immediately signalled for medical attention.

"This was for me a reckless challenge," Slot said. "I think I said a lot about the challenge of Xavi Simons (on Virgil van Dijk, for which he was sent off), which for me was completely unintentional. I don't think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that.

"The tackle of Van de Ven, if you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there's a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury."

The Sweden international was sidelined for five games from October to November with a groin injury and the latest setback will only compound his disjointed start to life in Liverpool since completing his record-breaking £125m move from Newcastle this summer.

Isak has scored just three goals across 16 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool but Slot made the point that his levels were improving.

'Simply impossible' for Isak to show his best

"It's been a really challenging and difficult period for him, I think," Slot added.

"You join a new club, usually when you join a new club - he was very excited of course as well - but you want to show immediately all the qualities you have, but that was simply impossible.

"Maybe no-one understands, but if you haven't trained for three or four months on a serious level with the team, and you are playing in this league, you're not playing in, I don't know where, but in this league, you need to be on top of your game to impact a game of football.

"And that took, which we all knew, months before we could bring him in there, because there was no breathing, there were games, games, games. No time, hardly any time to train.

"So we always knew that it would take him time, and that's why he's so unlucky that he's now injured, because I think we all saw with this goal against West Ham, with this goal, that was he was closer and closer to the way he was last season at Newcastle."

Analysis: Slot's attacking options dwindling

Sky Sports' Rich Morgan:

Isak missed four matches at the end of October and start of November with a groin injury which forced him off at half-time of the Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

He has started five out of nine since returning but any absence now, however lengthy, will be a blow with Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo not ready to return from a muscle injury until early in the new year.

It leaves Slot with just Hugo Ekitike, who has five goals in his last four games, and the little-used Federico Chiesa as his only senior forwards.

Unlike Isak, Ekitike has hit the ground running since moving to Anfield from Frankfurt for £79m last summer, scoring 11 times in 24 games in all competitions so far this season, including eight in the Premier League.

And now in Isak's injury-enforced absence, the 23-year-old has the opportunity to stake his claim as the champions' first-choice No 9 during a crucial run of fixtures.

Liverpool face Wolves, Leeds, Fulham and leaders Arsenal over the next two-and-a-half weeks that will shape their bid to finish in the top four.

Meanwhile, the Reds also begin their FA Cup campaign at home to Barnsley on January 12, while next month also brings two pivotal Champions League contests in Marseille [January 21] and at home to Qarabag [January 28].

Liverpool's next five fixtures ...