Bukayo Saka apologises to Kostas Tsimikas after serious Liverpool injury

Liverpool left-back Kostas Tsimikas is set for a spell on the sidelines after breaking his collarbone in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday

Bukayo Saka has apologised for making the challenge that forced Kostas Tsimikas off with a broken collarbone in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Anfield.

The Reds were forced to settle for a share of the spoils in their top-of-the-table clash on Saturday evening - a result that means they sit in second place this Christmas. However, the pain of failing to beat their title rivals on home soil was nothing compared to watching Tsimikas exit the pitch in the 35th minute with a grimace on his face.

The full-back had engaged in a tussle with Saka, one that sent the Greek flying down the touchline into his manager Jurgen Klopp, who then fell on top of him.

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At half-time Sky Sports reported that Tsimikas had immediately been taken to hospital to be assessed and hearing this in his interview at full-time, Saka firstly issued an apology to his opponent.

"I heard he has gone to hospital so obviously I want to apologise to him, I didn’t mean it of course. For me it was a 50/50 and I have gone shoulder to shoulder with him," said the Arsenal winger.

"I didn’t see it but he must have taken a bad fall, I didn’t see him go into Klopp either. I was focused on running forward because I didn’t think it was a foul. That’s my take on it."

Klopp later took Saka's place in front of the camera and revealed the extent of the injury. Matching with reports elsewhere, Liverpool's worst fears have been realised as it is likely a fractured colla bone - one that will be "hard to swallow," in the words of the boss.

Tsimikas becomes the eighth player on the club's current list of absentees. His latest setback is one that first of all provides a worry in the left-back department as Andy Robertson will have to be cautiously reintegrated next month following his dislocated shoulder in October.