Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool 'got lucky' with Andy Robertson injury

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has stated that Andy Robertson was lucky to avoid a serious ankle injury in Sunday's draw with Athletic Club.

The left-back limped off the field shortly before half-time after appearing to twist his ankle in an attempt to block the ball, and as a result, he was unavailable for Monday's 3-1 victory over Osasuna, with Kostas Tsimikas taking his place.

Shortly before that game, Robertson confirmed on social media that he had suffered ligament damage which wasn't 'too major', and Klopp admitted later that he was fortunate to escape with only a minor issue.

"I think we got lucky with that," he said (via the club's official website). "It could have been much worse. We saw the footage, it didn’t look too well.

"But I think we got lucky, it will not be too long. I’m not sure [if he will return] before the international break or after the international break, it’s difficult in these situations. But not too long. Obviously really good to have Kostas in the back hand, to have little Owen Beck in the back hand, which is nice as well."

Liverpool are yet to put a time frame on Robertson's recovery, with The Times noting club doctors are waiting until the swelling on his ankle goes down so they can make a more accurate diagnosis.

However, he is certainly going to miss Liverpool's Premier League opener against Norwich on August 14, and his involvement in the two remaining fixtures before the international break - home ties against Burnley and Chelsea - seems unlikely.

On the other side of Liverpool's defence, Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed that he is fully fit and looking forward to getting the new season off to a positive start after being forced to miss Euro 2020 through injury.

"I’ve started pre-season quite well, in training I’ve been putting the work in, got the all-clear from the medical staff early doors in pre-season and have been able to push on and get fit," he said.