The video games are coming so thick and quick in the mean time that earlier than the mud settled on our draw with Aston Villa, Arne Slot was dealing with the media to preview our match in opposition to Manchester Metropolis.
As regular, the boss was requested to supply an damage replace on his squad and commenced by talking about Cody Gakpo: “Let’s see, I hope [he’s available], I’m not 100% certain.
“He hasn’t skilled with the workforce but. Perhaps he does a bit in the present day. I don’t know precisely. Will probably be an in depth name.”
Subsequent up was Conor Bradley, who picked up a problem at Villa Park, and the 46-year-old acknowledged: “No, he [Bradley] nonetheless has to come back in, so we don’t know but.
“I might be fully stunned if he’s concerned within the Sunday recreation, or the Wednesday recreation in opposition to Newcastle. You possibly can assume that’s not going to occur.”
Lastly, we heard some information on Joe Gomez: “Joe Gomez had surgical procedure for his hamstring damage, so he’s out for a very long time. He will likely be again perhaps simply earlier than the top of the season.”
Earlier than a last squad overview: “Then, in fact, these two gamers usually are not injured however they arrive again from an damage – [Diogo] Jota and Trent [Alexander-Arnold], in order that’s additionally the rationale they don’t play 90 minutes 5 occasions in a row in 15 days.
“That might be an enormous danger, we might see this yesterday with Conor Bradley.”
It’s a blow that we’re shedding two vital defensive choices for quite a lot of video games, with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s health additionally needing to be managed too.
This leaves us very gentle on the again for an important few weeks not less than, while crossing fingers for no additional points within the squad.
Arne Slot goes to must rigorously handle his squad
It’s going to be one other balancing act up prime, without having to hurry our No.18 and Diogo Jota being nursed again to full well being that means that Darwin Nunez might doubtless have a task on the Etihad Stadium.
Given the fallout from his miss in Birmingham and his social media antics on Thursday, it may very well be the proper alternative to silence some doubters.
Many will bemoan an absence of January switch exercise to have left us so naked on the again bit we’ve got seen a number of occasions this season that Jarell Quansah can function at proper again if wanted.
By subsequent Wednesday we’d have performed 5 matches in 15 days, although 4 matches within the entirety of March and only one being within the Premier League – may very well be seen as some respite for our drained squad.
Let’s hope we get by means of all of it with no accidents and plenty of factors.
You possibly can watch Slot’s damage replace by way of Liverpool FC on YouTube:
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