With the games coming at us rapidly, we barely had time to reflect on our draw with Aston Villa before Arne Slot was already speaking to the media about our upcoming clash with Manchester City.
During the usual pre-match injuries briefing, the coach started with an update on Cody Gakpo. “Let’s wait and see. I’m hopeful, but I can’t say for sure yet,” he said. “Cody hasn’t joined the team training, though he might get in a session today. It’s going to be a touch-and-go situation.”
Slot then moved on to Conor Bradley, who suffered an issue during the Villa match. The 46-year-old coach commented, “He still hasn’t joined us yet, so we’re in the dark at the moment. But honestly, I’d be surprised if he plays in the upcoming game on Sunday or even on Wednesday against Newcastle. It’s probably safe to say that’s not happening.”
Joe Gomez’s situation also came up, and Slot shared, “Joe’s had surgery on his hamstring, and unfortunately, he’s out for quite a while. We might see him return near the season’s end.”
When wrapping up the squad status, he added, “We have a couple more players, like Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who aren’t currently injured but are also returning from setbacks. That’s why you won’t see them playing full games back-to-back in such a short period.”
It stings to lose key defensive players for what could be several crucial games. And managing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s condition adds another layer of complexity.
The defense certainly looks thin as we head into an important stretch, all while hoping there are no additional setbacks within the team.
Arne Slot’s strategic handling of his squad will be crucial through this period.
There’s also a bit of a balancing act needed at the front. With Jota and our number 18 being kept on a cautious recovery path, Darwin Nunez might step up at the Etihad Stadium. After his missed opportunity in Birmingham and some buzz on social media, this could be his chance to quiet the critics.
Critics might point fingers at our lack of January signings leaving us sparse at the back, but we’ve seen players like Jarell Quansah step up, covering the right-back position when called upon.
By next Wednesday, the team will have handled five matches in just 15 days. March offers some respite with only four games, one of which is in the Premier League, providing a welcome breather for the team.
Fingers crossed we navigate through all this, injury-free and racking up the points.
You can catch Arne Slot’s latest squad update on Liverpool FC’s YouTube channel.
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Also, here’s to one year on: a heartfelt tribute to Alex South, the ex-LFC defender who graced the field with legends Liddell and Paisley.
