Insider lambasts Liverpool ‘sideshow’ amid ‘four-week’ Darwin Nunez injury claim
The appointment of a club doctor by Liverpool is a “sideshow”.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis.
The Liverpool Echo reported earlier this week (24 October) that the Reds are continuing the search for a permanent club doctor amid a perceived injury crisis at the club.
The post has been vacant since August when Jim Moxon left Anfield.
Darwin Nunez became the 19th player to miss a game for the club as he sat out the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday (22 October).
“When we see the headlines regarding injuries, the attention grabbers are the numbers,” Dinnery told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“19 players have missed games this season, great, but you always need to contextualise with types of injuries, length of absence.
“Darwin Nunez is the case in point. He’s been back in full training since Monday (24 October).
“Decisions are made not just on the here and now, it’s about the medium and long-term. Do you risk Nunez against Nottingham Forest in a game where 99 times out of 100 you win and risk exasperating a hamstring problem that could go from two-three days to three-four weeks? It becomes a no-brainer.
“The numbers don’t necessarily mean a lot. With impact injuries, it doesn’t matter who your club doctor and medical team are when players are picking up contact injuries from tackling. That’s just elite-level sport.
“Having a club doctor in to help oversee things may help but that’s a sideshow which has little or no impact on the current injury levels within the club.”
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