Arne Slot remains unsure whether two Liverpool players will be fit in time for the Community Shield clash at Wembley next Sunday.
The Dutch manager gave game time to nearly all of his senior squad — along with several promising academy players — in Monday’s double-header against Athletic Bilbao at Anfield. However, four notable players were absent from both matches.
Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez were sidelined due to minor injuries, while Virgil van Dijk was ruled out with illness, and Alisson Becker was unavailable after returning to Brazil to deal with a personal issue following the club’s pre-season tour in Asia.
Slot Offers Injury Update Ahead of Season Opener
Speaking to the press before the first match against Bilbao, Slot was asked whether any of the four absentees might miss the upcoming Community Shield or the Premier League opener against Bournemouth the following Friday.
He responded (via liverpoolfc.com): “Virgil, most likely not [at risk]. Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley — it’s going to be close. Alisson should be back in time as well.”
Defensive Concerns Mount for Liverpool
Liverpool’s lack of defensive depth meant Slot had to experiment with his lineup. In the first game on Monday, Andy Robertson, a natural left-back, was paired in central defense with teenage midfielder Trey Nyoni. Later, midfielder Wataru Endo filled in at the back alongside Ibrahima Konaté in the second match.
While pre-season is a time for tactical trials, with Liverpool’s first competitive fixture just days away and the Premier League season kicking off shortly after, the thinness in defense is a worrying sign — especially with less than a month left in the transfer window.
If Van Dijk recovers as expected and no further injuries occur, the Reds could still field a solid backline of Jeremie Frimpong, Van Dijk, Konaté, and Robertson against Crystal Palace. However, journalist Ian Doyle noted a potential hamstring issue for Nyoni during the match, which adds to the concern.
Though the potential signing of Alexander Isak would generate excitement, Richard Hughes should prioritize bringing in another centre-back before the window closes. Even with Gomez available, entering the season with only three senior centre-halves is a risky move.
Hopefully, Slot will have a fully fit squad for Sunday’s Community Shield, and that the defensive shortages seen this pre-season don’t carry into the rest of the 2025/26 campaign — a problem that also plagued Liverpool the last time they entered the season as defending Premier League champions.
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