Liverpool manager Arne Slot is facing a growing dilemma at right-back as injuries to Conor Bradley (22) and Florian Wirtz (22) leave the Premier League leaders short of defensive options ahead of Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.
Bradley, who has impressed since breaking into the first team, is expected to be sidelined for around three weeks with a muscle issue. Wirtz, whose versatility has allowed Slot to rotate across the right flank, is also unavailable, though his recovery is not expected to take as long, according to reports from Sky Sports.
Jeremie Frimpong, Liverpool’s only other natural right-back, remains out for a further two to three weeks, while Joe Gomez, who has deputised across the back line with consistency this season, missed Thursday’s training session. Slot, however, is hopeful Gomez will return to the pitch on Friday, though he conceded the workload is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
“It is a risk to play him seven times in 22 days,” Slot said. “He missed training yesterday but we expect him to train today. It’s challenging but the good thing is we have good players available.”
Dominik Szoboszlai may once again be asked to fill in at right-back, having already covered the role capably earlier in the campaign. Curtis Jones is also an option, though neither is considered a natural fit.
There was some positive news for Liverpool with goalkeeper Alisson returning to full fitness. Andy Robertson, absent due to private reasons, is expected to rejoin training on Friday.
As the fixtures continue to pile up, Slot may need to lean on Liverpool’s adaptability more than ever.
GFN | Finn Entwistle
