\n Image Credits: Imago Images <\/p>\n
Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni was stretchered off the pitch after suffering an injury in the Carabao Cup clash against Southampton.<\/p>\n
The Italian was making his full debut for the Reds against the Championship side, and in a frustrating first half for Arne Slot\u2019s team, the summer signing from Parma was a bright spot for Liverpool.<\/p>\n
However, the 18-year-old\u2019s evening at Anfield ended in heartbreak.<\/p>\n
He tangled with a Southampton player and was left writhing in pain on the ground.<\/p>\n
As he was carried off on the stretcher, the Anfield crowd rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation, while Slot checked on the central defender.<\/p>\n
Leoni was replaced by fellow summer signing Milos Kerkez. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise impressive performance.<\/p>\n
Arne Slot has since provided the latest update on Leoni\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, he is down because for him it didn\u2019t feel good immediately, but this is something now we have to assess,\u201d Slot told his post-match press conference at Anfield.<\/p>\n
\u201cNormally these things don\u2019t happen in five to 10 minutes and you have to wait for tomorrow to see how he comes in and then maybe do an MRI scan to know more about how serious it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cNormally the emotions of a player tell you a lot. I saw during the weekend a player in the Dutch Eredivisie who went out completely in tears \u2013 Ruben van Bommel, by the way, of PSV \u2013 and a day later it proved to be that it was right.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s hope for the best.\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cNot our best performance. You can expect that if you play a complete new team.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many players that haven\u2019t played for a long time<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were positives. Giorgi Mamardashvili had a good game, Federico Chiesa and Giovanni Lioni had a good game.<\/p>\n
\u201cA first goal for Alexander [Isak] and another from Hugo [Ekitike].<\/p>\n
\u201cPositives from the game but how we played as a team \u2013 not taking anything away from Southampton because they played well \u2013 it wasn\u2019t our best performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
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