What happened to Gakpo on international duty

It was the kind of tackle that makes you wince watching from a sofa, never mind being on the receiving end of it. Cody Gakpo started for the Netherlands in their Nations League fixture against Serbia but was caught by a rough challenge from Ipswich Town's Sasa Lukic that forced him off the pitch. He tried to play on, because of course he did, but ultimately could not continue and was substituted by Xavi as the damage became apparent.

Scans were arranged for Monday and have since been completed. Reports coming out of the Netherlands suggest Gakpo is looking at a few weeks out, and the medical assessment from injury analysis account Physio Scout paints an equally concerning picture. Their verdict was blunt: "Scissor-tackle type mechanism forced Gakpo's ankle into eversion + external rotation. This mechanism raises concern for a syndesmosis/high ankle sprain. Scans will need to rule out any lower-leg fractures. Gakpo will be lucky to escape any lengthy time out with the nature of the tackle."

A syndesmosis injury, often called a high ankle sprain, is notoriously stubborn to recover from. It is not the kind of knock you run off in a fortnight, and the phrase "lucky to escape" from a physio specialist is not one Liverpool supporters will want to read right now.

The official word and what it means for his immediate future

The Netherlands moved quickly to confirm Gakpo would play no further part in this international window, releasing a statement that read: "Take care, Cody. Gakpo won't be available for the remainder of this international window and will return to Liverpool." That means he misses his country's upcoming fixtures against Greece and a second match against Serbia, with his focus now shifting entirely to his recovery at club level.

The timing is deeply frustrating. Gakpo has been in fine form this season, and Liverpool will be hoping the scans reveal something closer to the optimistic end of the spectrum. For now, the medical expert's assessment is the most detailed prognosis available, and it does not make for comfortable reading on Merseyside.

Isak adds to the worry as Liverpool's wide options thin out

As if one injury concern was not enough, Gakpo is not making the journey back alone. Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has also been forced to cut short his international camp after picking up a thigh injury, with Sweden manager Graham Potter confirming the news. Potter explained that what initially seemed like a knock during the Romania fixture turned out to be more serious in the hours that followed, saying: "As the 24/48 hours after the game, [it's] not quite what you think. Yeah, unfortunately after getting it checked out, it's a little bit more than what you think during the match."

While Isak is not a Liverpool player, the source material flags his situation alongside Gakpo's in the context of a forthcoming visit from Manchester City, a fixture where the absence of both players would represent a serious problem for their respective sides. Closer to home, Liverpool's own wide options are already stretched. Hugo Ekitike is a long-term absentee, and Federico Chiesa has not featured since the end of pre-season.

The full picture of Gakpo's injury will only become clear once Liverpool's medical staff have assessed the scan results in detail, but the coming days feel rather important, for the player, and for Arne Slot's planning ahead of a run of matches that will define Liverpool's autumn.