Dec 23 (Reuters) - Liverpool striker Alexander Isak is expected to be sidelined for at least a couple of months after breaking his leg and undergoing surgery, the Premier League club's manager Arne Slot said on Tuesday.
Isak suffered the injury in scoring Liverpool's opening goal in Saturday's 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur when his foot got caught between Micky van de Ven's legs as the defender dived to block his shot.
The injury is a massive blow for Liverpool as they look to rescue their title defence.
"It's going to be a long injury for a couple of months. That's a big disappointment for him and as a result, also for us," Slot told reporters ahead of a home league match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
The Dutch manager described the challenge that caused the injury as reckless.
"The tackle of (Micky) Van de Ven, if you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a chance the player gets a serious injury," he said.
The Merseyside club smashed the British transfer record to sign Isak for 125 million pounds ($168.81 million) from Newcastle United in September.
In the Sweden international's absence, Liverpool will rely heavily on striker Hugo Ekitike, another new recruit who has scored eight league goals since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt.
"He (Ekitike) still needs to get stronger, but he already became stronger," Slot said.
"I don't think he changed a lot in his offensive qualities - he's fast, he can score a goal, he has great footwork and dribbling skills.
"He has a lot in his locker. He's adjusted to the Premier League now and he has to make sure with his physique, with how fast he is, he can become physically outstanding and that's what he's working on."
SWEDEN SWEAT ON STRIKER'S FITNESS
Sweden will also be sweating over Isak's recovery, with a World Cup playoff coming up against Ukraine in March.
"We feel great sympathy for him and hope for a good and quick rehabilitation," national team coordinator Stefan Pettersson said.
"Alex is receiving good help in good conditions in Liverpool, and we have an ongoing dialogue with both him and the club.
"It is too early to say exactly how long Alex will be out. We are continuously monitoring the situation together with our medical staff."
Liverpool, fifth in the standings, will look to make up ground on Premier League leaders Arsenal with victory over bottom-placed Wolves, who are yet to win a league match this season.
However, they will have to contend with a growing list of absentees which includes Isak, Wataru Endo and Joe Gomez, while Cody Gakpo and Conor Bradley are not fully fit. Forward Mohamed Salah is away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt.
"It's time for the players who are available to do what they've done many times, which is roll their sleeves up and fans as well to help us," Slot said.
($1 = 0.7405 pounds)
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India, additional reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)
