It’s often the fine margins that define a season, and right now Liverpool are heading into their most important stretch without one of the biggest difference-makers in world football.
Speaking at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the FA Cup clash with Manchester City, Arne Slot delivered a significant update on Alisson Becker.
He said: “Yeah, he will not be part of of the Paris Saint-Germain games as well, so he will be out for a bit longer, towards the end of the season we expect him to be fit again.”
That’s a huge blow for us, especially considering how influential the Brazilian has been in big European away games, with last season’s trip to Paris still fresh in the memory.
Without the 33-year-old between the posts, we’re going to rely heavily on Giorgi Mamardashvili, and while he’s talented, there’s an undeniable drop-off in experience at this level.
It also comes at a time when both Chris Sutton and Paul Merson have already backed Manchester City to beat us this weekend, highlighting just how difficult this period could become.
There was at least some positivity elsewhere, particularly regarding Jeremie Frimpong.
Slot confirmed: “Yeah, he seems to be OK… trained with us yesterday fully and will train with us tomorrow again.”
However, the Dutchman also hinted at a longer-term concern around managing the full-back’s minutes, admitting it’s a challenge given the intensity of playing every three days and our lack of depth in that position.
That means we may have to be careful with how often the 25-year-old is used, especially across games against City, PSG, Fulham and Everton.
As for Alexander Isak, there’s cautious optimism after his return to training.
Slot explained: “Maybe a few minutes… but let’s wait and see how it is with him today… after two training sessions, after 100 days [out], it would not make any sense to start him tomorrow.”
The Liverpool boss also made it clear expectations need to be managed, pointing out that while the Sweden international is physically stronger, the intensity of the Premier League and Champions League at this stage of the season makes his situation complicated.
Still, having another recognised No.9 available again is a major boost for us, even if patience will be required.
Heading into this defining run, we’ve got solutions returning in attack, but losing Alisson at the same time could prove just as decisive.
Welcome to our Live Comments section, where new comments will appear automatically
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
