Divock Origi Receives Injury Boost

It’s a bit of good news and a bit of bad news today for Divock Origi, as according to reports in Belgium that have since been confirmed by the club, the injured Liverpool striker has learned he won’t require surgery on the damaged ligaments in his ankle following a horror tackle by Everton’s Funes Mori last week.

That, quite obviously, would be the good news, and it further means that Origi should be available for Belgium at this summer’s Euros. It should also mean there will be fewer risks of complications or lasting damage as the striker heals from the injury. However, the bad news is that it won’t get him back on the pitch any sooner.

Origi is expected to remain sidelined for another three to four weeks at a minimum, meaning that even if Liverpool were to make it past a stubborn Villarreal side in the Europa League semi-finals, the striker wouldn’t be ready to play in the final set for May 18th from St. Jakob Park in Basel. That, then, would be the bad news.

Despite widespread condemnation of Funes Mori’s tackle that led Origi having to be stretchered off the pitch last Wednesday when Liverpool took on Everton in the rescheduled mid-week derby, the FA has left the Everton defender with just the automatic three-match ban that results from picking up a violent conduct red card.

At the time of the tackle, the 21-year-old Origi had arguably played his way into being first choice—or at least choice 1A or 1B—at Liverpool, something of a massive achievement given Daniel Sturridge’s ability to stay fit of late. He will end the year having scored 10 goals and three assists in his first year in English football.