“We have hope…” – Arne Slot hints at a major injury boost for Liverpool ahead of Man City clash

 

 

Arne Slot is optimistic that Joe Gomez could be available for Liverpool’s huge Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

The 28-year-old was forced off injured after an accidental collision with Alisson Becker during the recent 3-2 loss to Bournemouth, and he subsequently missed the wins over Qarabag and Newcastle. With Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley already ruled out long-term, and Jeremie Frimpong also added to the injury list after going off early in the 6-0 win over the Azerbaijani champions, Slot has recently been left with little choice but to use midfielders like Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai in defence.

Speaking in his press conference on Thursday, Slot confirmed Frimpong will not be available, but suggested Gomez still has a chance of featuring at Anfield.

“Jeremie Frimpong is not available for the weekend,” Slot said, via the Liverpool Echo. “We have hope that Joe Gomez can train on Saturday and may be available to help in the game because we don’t have many defenders left.”

Liverpool’s defensive injury crisis has forced the head coach to improvise at the back, so even the possibility of Gomez returning is a welcome boost. However, Slot stopped short of guaranteeing his fitness, meaning a cautious approach could be needed given Gomez’s injury record. Even if he is only fit enough for the bench, his presence would still strengthen Liverpool’s options.

The Reds have benefited from their first free midweek since Christmas, giving players time to recover after a demanding January. But another tough spell now awaits, with three fixtures in seven days — a period where squad depth could once again be stretched.

Despite recent claims that Manchester City are not as dominant as before, they remain dangerous in attack, with threats such as Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush, Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku. That could leave Slot facing a key decision at right-back, especially if he must rely on someone out of position — most likely Szoboszlai — or gamble on Gomez returning straight into the starting XI.

If Gomez is cleared to play, it would provide a timely solution to Liverpool’s ongoing defensive shortage ahead of one of the season’s biggest tests.