It was the news Northern Ireland fans were dreading from the moment Conor Bradley fell to the turf and clutched his knee in Liverpool's Premier League draw at Arsenal. The 22-year-old sustained a "significant" injury to rule him out of the rest of his club's campaign. For his country, Bradley will also miss the crucial World Cup play-off in Italy, plus the play-off final and will be a major doubt for the actual tournament should NI get there. It was a cruel blow for the right-back, who is now a key player for both Northern Ireland and Liverpool. There's no doubt it could have a major impact on Northern Ireland's hopes of reaching a first World Cup finals since 1986.

Source: BBC January 11, 2026 21:22 UTC