Liverpool have been dealt another late injury blow for the closing stages of the 2023-24 season, as one of their breakout midfielders will not play again this term.
Nineteen-year-old Bobby Clark has now become a fully-fledged member of the first team after earning two senior appearances last year; he now has 12 matches to his name for Jurgen Klopp's men in 2023-24.
Clark has scored one goal and provided two assists in that time, netting his first senior strike for the Reds in their 6-1 thrashing of Sparta Prague in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.
Clark also laid on an assist for Mohamed Salah in that showdown with the Czech champions, in addition to setting up fellow youngster Lewis Koumas in a 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round success over Southampton.
Further exploits for the teenager to shout about include a 48-minute cameo in Liverpool's EFL Cup final beating of Chelsea, as well as five Premier League appearances, one of which saw him start and complete 60 minutes of a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in March.
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Clark announces premature end to season
The former Newcastle United youngster was handed a new long-term deal in December and has continued to further his development with the Under-21s, playing the full 90 in a 2-0 loss to Arsenal at the weekend.
However, on Wednesday afternoon, Clark announced on his X profile that he had picked up an unspecified concern, one which will be serious enough to rule him out for the rest of the campaign.
"Unfortunately my season has came to an end early due to injury, time to focus on getting back fit for the new season @LFC 🔴," the England Under-20 international wrote.
Clark's issue means that he will play no part in Liverpool's final three Premier League matches, the first of which will see Klopp's side host Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on May 5.
The faltering Reds will then have a full week to recuperate before travelling to Aston Villa on May 13, before hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers six days later in Klopp's farewell match.
What other injuries are Liverpool dealing with?
Unfortunately my season has came to an end early due to injury , time to focus on getting back fit for the new season @LFC 🔴 pic.twitter.com/VOeHICZD1N
— Bobby clark (@Bobbylclark10) May 1, 2024
Clark is now taking up one of six occupied beds in the Liverpool infirmary, and he is one of four troops set to miss the remainder of the season, a list which also includes fellow teenager Ben Doak (knee).
At the other end of the experience scale, Joel Matip (knee) and Thiago Alcantara (muscle) have some way to go before they can class themselves as fully healed, and both men have likely played their final games for the Reds ahead of their contracts running out in the summer.
However, both Conor Bradley (ankle) and Diogo Jota (hip) are expected to play again before the campaign concludes, and the former might even force his way back into contention for the visit of Tottenham.
Even with Clark sidelined, Klopp is still well-stocked in midfield with Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, Harvey Elliott, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Stefan Bajcetic, who made a Premier League squad for the first time since September in Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Ham United.
