Conor Bradley Injury Update: What Happened?
On Thursday night, January 8, 2026, Conor Bradley left Anfield on crutches with his knee in a brace after suffering a serious-looking injury late in Liverpool’s 0-0 draw away to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
PurelyFootball @PurelyFootball) reported on X that Conor Bradley suffered a serious knee injury and was in genuine pain when Gabriel Martinelli threw the ball at him while he was down and attempted to push him off the pitch.
The 22-year-old right-back went down in stoppage time after a clearance near the touchline, was in visible pain, and had to be stretchered off, sparking an angry reaction from Liverpool players when Gabriel Martinelli tried to move him while he was lying on the turf.
Arne Slot admitted post-match that he “fears the worst” and confirmed Bradley will undergo scans to assess the extent of the knee damage, with no official diagnosis yet. Footybuzz (@footybuzzHQ) reported on X that Conor Bradley went down with a serious knee injury.
It’s a grim turn given Bradley had been one of Liverpool’s brighter performers on the night, even clipping the crossbar in the first half before his evening ended with the stretcher and a stunned away end.
Conor Bradley Injury Details
Bradley already had a worrying catalogue of setbacks before this latest knee problem, which is why this incident has hit the club and supporters even harder. Over the past few seasons, his injury and absence record has included:
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April 2024 – ankle/foot ligament overstretch, sidelined for around 2–4 weeks after Crystal Palace, described by Jürgen Klopp as “very painful” but not majorly long term.
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February 2024 – compassionate leave following the death of his father, Joe, missing several games as the club gave him unlimited time away.
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2024–25 season – multiple thigh/muscle issues in October, November and February, each ruling him out for “a few weeks” and repeatedly interrupting his rhythm.
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Early 2025 – hamstring problem during a Northern Ireland appearance, forcing him off late and costing him key Liverpool fixtures including a domestic cup final.
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December 2025 – further knock described by Arne Slot as part of a pattern of “recurring setbacks” that left him with only nine Premier League starts from the opening 17 games.
Slot has openly acknowledged that Bradley “hasn’t been fit throughout the whole season” and needs consistent availability to take the next step, which makes this new knee scare feel like another brutal interruption just as he was cementing his place.
When Will Conor Bradley Return?
At this point, there’s no official return date, with Liverpool waiting on scan results after the Arsenal game to determine the full scale of Bradley’s knee damage.
Slot’s “fear the worst” line doesn’t sound like a manager bracing for a one‑week absence, and the visual cues, brace, crutches, stretcher, hint at something more long-term.
Given his recent history of thigh and muscle problems and the care Liverpool’s medical staff have taken with him, it’d be a surprise if the club rushed him back in any scenario.
Realistically, the best outcome is that scans rule out major ligament damage and put him on a multi‑week, not multi‑month, recovery track, but until imaging is done and communicated, anything more specific would be guesswork.
Conor Bradley Career Stats With Liverpool
Bradley’s headline numbers with Liverpool are still building, but he’s already shown enough to convince coaches and supporters that he can be more than a squad option when fit.
Between league and cup competitions, his minutes have been spread across right-back and occasionally higher wide roles.
|
Competition |
Season |
Appearances |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Premier League |
2024–25 |
19 (12 as sub) |
0 |
|
Premier League |
2023–24* |
9 |
1 |
|
UEFA Champions League |
2024–25 |
5 (2 as sub) |
0 |
|
FA Cup |
2024–25 |
2 (1 as sub) |
0 |
2023–24 line summarised from documented debut, first goal and assists across league and cups.
These numbers don’t fully capture his impact: that early 2024 burst where he scored and added two assists in a 4–1 win over Chelsea is still fresh in many minds as the night he looked every bit a long‑term starter.
Impact on Liverpool Lineup
In that 0-0 at Arsenal, Liverpool had already leaned heavily on Bradley’s work down the right, with Trent Alexander-Arnold unavailable and other defenders nursing problems. He logged another busy shift before the injury, combining with the right-sided midfielder to push Arsenal back and coming closest to scoring when his first-half effort crashed off the bar.
His exit in added time forced a late reshuffle, with Liverpool effectively seeing out the draw a man light on natural full-backs, highlighting how thin they are in that area.
Looking ahead, Slot may have to juggle Joe Gomez, academy full-backs or even invert a midfielder into the back line, similar to adjustments seen earlier this season when Bradley, Gomez and others were missing simultaneously.
It’s a little concerning for a side still fighting on multiple fronts and already managing workloads across defence.
Disclaimer:
The Conor Bradley injury details, timelines, and implications discussed here are based on currently available match reports and reputable football news coverage and may change as Liverpool issue further medical updates. Supporters should always check the club’s official channels and trusted outlets for the latest confirmed information and diagnoses.
