With a positive unfortunately often comes a minus, and after delivering us the outstanding news of Borna Barisic’s recovery, Steven Gerrard has had to temper it with a disturbing update that Joe Aribo could be missing until early November.

The big Nigerian, so outstanding in pre-season and early season, in flashes, was most definitely coming onto a game, but got an untimely injury in training and was ruled out for the short term.

Sadly his manager has announced he’s had, we believe, another setback and will miss up to two months due to an ankle injury.

While Gerrard optimistically suggests 4-5 weeks, potentially that still takes us into the depth of October, and if the prognosis is as bad as feared, we could be looking into around Halloween before Aribo returns.

It’s a big blow even if we can get him back inside a month – he will not be fit for some big matches, and he is going to end up somewhat behind the rest of the playing squad in terms of sharpness and fitness, and ultimately it’s just not what we wanted.

Aribo was starting to fulfil his potential, and unfortunately that is now going to have to wait some time.

As will his potentially dynamite partnership with bang-in-form Ryan Kent.

Pity.