Ryan Gravenberch’s Season-Ending Injury Deepens Liverpool’s Crisis Amid 6 Losses in 7 Games

When Ryan Gravenberch limped off the pitch at Old Trafford on October 19, 2025, it wasn’t just another substitution. It was the moment Liverpool’s title defense began to unravel — permanently. The 22-year-old Dutch midfielder, once hailed as the engine of Arne Slot’s high-pressing system, has been ruled out for the rest of the 2025-26 season after a persistent ankle injury, confirmed by Liverpool Football Club on October 30, 2025. The twist? He hadn’t even played a full 90 minutes since August. His season had already been derailed by a controversial red card, a newborn daughter, and now, this. And with six losses in seven games, the cracks aren’t just showing — they’re widening.

The Suspension That Started It All

Gravenberch’s season began before it even started. A straight red card in Liverpool’s final match of 2024-25 against Crystal Palace on May 19, 2025, handed down by referee Darren England, suspended him for the opening game of the new campaign. The incident? A foul on Daichi Kamada — but not before Gravenberch had been booked for simulation earlier. Manager Arne Slot called it "a moment that wasn’t even a foul," pointing out Liverpool made 13 fouls to Palace’s five. "They fell down in a moment which wasn’t even a foul," Slot said. "And the referee felt, oh, he fell down, so it probably is a foul." The suspension meant Gravenberch missed the Community Shield loss to Palace and the Premier League opener against AFC Bournemouth — not because he was unfit, but because of a decision many saw as harsh.

The Injury That Broke the Back

He returned for the Manchester United clash on August 25, 2025, and looked sharp. But on October 19, during a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, Gravenberch twisted his ankle in the 61st minute. No collision. No tackle. Just a misstep. He didn’t come back. Initial reports called him a "major doubt" for Brentford on October 22. Slot, ever the optimist, told reporters on October 30: "I think Ryan has the best chance..." But then came the quiet, devastating update: Liverpool confirmed he wouldn’t play again this season. No rehab timeline. No hope of a comeback. Just silence.

The Domino Effect

Gravenberch’s absence didn’t just leave a gap in midfield — it shattered the rhythm. Curtis Jones, the 23-year-old Englishman, has shouldered more than his share, but he’s now sidelined with a hamstring issue. Florian Wirtz, the German playmaker, is out too after international duty. Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian, has been the lone consistent thread, but even he’s exhausted. Against Eintracht Frankfurt on October 28, Szoboszlai and Jones "ran the show" in a 5-1 win — but that was a miracle, not a blueprint. The team played three games in seven days. Slot admitted: "The last time I played a player I thought was ready for that programme was Alexander Isak. But it turns out he wasn’t." And Isak? The £125 million Norwegian striker, signed to be the answer to Liverpool’s goal-scoring woes, went off at halftime in that same Frankfurt match with a groin injury. He’s now out indefinitely. So is Alisson Becker, the 32-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper, with a minor but persistent issue. Jeremie Frimpong, the Dutch right-back, is expected back November 22 — but that’s still weeks away. And let’s not forget: Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté have each picked up two yellow cards. The team has 23 bookings in 11 league games — joint-fourth worst in the Premier League. Discipline is collapsing just as depth is gone.

What This Means for the Title Defense

Liverpool won the Premier League last season with 37 matches played and 4 assists from Gravenberch. He was the link between defense and attack, the runner who covered space, the player who could win duels and keep possession under pressure. Without him, the midfield has become reactive, not proactive. The 2025-26 campaign has seen six defeats in seven games. They’re out of the Carabao Cup. They’re clinging to Champions League qualification. And now, with seven matches in 22 days after the November 23 fixture against Nottingham Forest, the schedule is a gauntlet.

Slot isn’t making excuses. But he’s not blind either. "We’re not a team that can afford to lose two central midfielders at once," he said in a recent presser. "We’re not a team that can afford to lose our captain for a game. We’re not a team that can afford to lose our goalkeeper."

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about one player. It’s about a club that pushed its squad to the limit last season — playing 62 games across four competitions. Gravenberch was one of the few who held up. Now, the wear and tear is showing. The medical team is stretched thin. The transfer window is closed. And the fans? They’re watching a team that looked like champions in August, now fighting to stay in the top four.

The twist? The injury might have been avoidable. The suspension? Unnecessary. The lack of rotation? A managerial gamble that’s backfired. Liverpool didn’t lose because of bad luck. They lost because they ran out of answers — and now, they’re out of players.