Georginio Wijnaldum Suffers Ankle Injury During Liverpool vs. Maribor Match

Liverpool have been dealt a significant blow after Georginio Wijnaldum picked up an ankle injury during the Reds' UEFA Champions League clash with Maribor on Wednesday.

The midfielder was forced off after just 17 minutes of the clash, with Jordan Henderson replacing the Dutchman at Anfield.

Aaron Flanagan at the Mirror said Wijnaldum was "clearly groaning in pain following the collision."

Injury data analyst Ben Dinnery explained how the injury had occurred:

After the match, manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed Wijnaldum would miss Liverpool's next game against West Ham, per Dinnery of ESPN FC. 

"Wijnaldum ankle is swollen," said Klopp. "Probably not a good sign. We saw a kick [on him] in the game."

Wijnaldum, 26, will now surely be a doubt for Saturday's Premier League clash against West Ham United at the London Stadium.

The versatile midfielder was a £23 million arrival at Anfield from Newcastle United in the summer of 2016.

He slipped seamlessly into manager Jurgen Klopp's midfield and formed an effective central trio early in the 2016-17 Premier League season with Adam Lallana and Henderson.

The more eye-catching summer addition made by Klopp was the capture of Sadio Mane from Southampton, but Wijnaldum proved his importance early on in the term and played a part in 36 of Liverpool's 38 Premier League games, netting six goals and providing nine assists, per WhoScored.com.

His comfort on the ball and excellent distribution have made Wijnaldum a vital part of the Liverpool squad, while his versatility is also a valuable asset as he can operate further forward if needs be.

As a result, his impending absence is a blow for Liverpool, even though the likes of Henderson, James Milner and Emre Can can cover for him.