Saturday evening turned into a nightmare for Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp. The manner in which they lost their first Premier League game of the season will linger, but the injury sustained by Cody Gakpo added to their woes.

With concerns about Darwin Nuñez’s fitness, Gakpo was chosen over Diogo Jota to lead the line, flanked by Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz. However, he did not return for the second half, not because of a subpar performance; in fact, Gakpo played well, connecting midfield to attack and scoring the equalizing goal.

Yet, instead of celebrating, Gakpo pushed his teammates away and fell to the ground in pain. Replays revealed a knee twist as he powered his shot into the Tottenham goal, caused by an earlier foul by Spurs’ full-back Destiny Udogie.

Speculation on social media grew about whether Gakpo had damaged his ACL, which would have been a significant blow to Liverpool’s depth in a season where they require all the strength they can muster.

Fortunately, on Monday, it was revealed that Gakpo’s knee injury was not severe, and he was likely to return after the October international break. This news was a relief for Reds fans.

With Nuñez nursing an injury and unable to start games and Jota’s history of injuries, a long-term absence for Gakpo could have been disastrous. The striker had found his form at the end of the previous season and was a preferred center-forward option for the 2023/24 campaign.

Although he started the season in an unfamiliar midfield role against Chelsea, Gakpo has since regained his footing as a ‘number nine.’ He has been gradually finding form, scoring three goals in four games before his injury, showcasing what he brings to Liverpool’s new-look side aiming to contend for the Premier League title.

Replacing the iconic front three of Firmino, Salah, and Mane was a daunting task for Klopp and Liverpool’s recruitment team, but they have made a commendable effort to do so. Klopp now has five strong senior first-team options at his disposal.

While Gakpo will be missed for the next two matches, his absence provides an opportunity for Nuñez to stake a claim as the regular starting striker in the front three. Jota is likely to start in Thursday night’s Europa League clash at Anfield, serving a one-match suspension for Sunday’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Nuñez must be protected from injury with a crucial game on the horizon. Liverpool is eager to bounce back from Saturday’s loss against Tottenham, and the Uruguayan striker will need to be at his best.

Competition within the squad is healthy and encourages players to seize their opportunities in the starting lineup, which is precisely how Nuñez will view this situation.

Liverpool’s newest number nine has impressed this season with his pace and ability to run in behind defenses, a challenge that Brighton defenders will not relish when they face him on Sunday.

Both Liverpool and Brighton have European commitments on Thursday, and the Seagulls will need to secure points after losing their opening Europa League match. De Zerbi, Brighton’s manager, may opt for his strongest lineup.

Klopp, on the other hand, has the luxury of making changes to keep his key players fresh and fully fit for Sunday’s match.