“Things are looking close” – Arne Slot anxious about the fitness of two Liverpool players before the Community Shield.
Arne Slot is unsure if two players from his Liverpool squad will be fit for the Community Shield at Wembley next Sunday.
The Dutch manager utilized nearly all of his first-team players, along with some academy talents, in two matches against Athletic Bilbao at Anfield on Monday. However, four key players did not participate.
Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez were out due to minor injuries, while Virgil van Dijk missed the matches because of illness, and Alisson Becker was absent for personal reasons after leaving the pre-season tour in Asia.
When asked about the availability of these players for the upcoming Community Shield and the Premier League opener against Bournemouth, Slot stated: “Virgil should be fine. Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley might be a bit tight. Alisson will return in time.”
Slot is likely concerned about Liverpool’s defensive depth. The lack of available defenders led to some unconventional choices, with left-back Andy Robertson and teenage midfielder Trey Nyoni playing as center-backs in the first match, and Wataru Endo filling in defensively alongside Ibrahima Konate in the second.
While pre-season matches allow for tactical experimentation, the start of the competitive season is just around the corner, raising concerns about defensive options with the transfer window closing soon.
If Van Dijk recovers and there are no further injuries, Liverpool could still field a solid back four of Jeremie Frimpong, Van Dijk, Konate, and Robertson against Crystal Palace. However, there were concerns about a potential hamstring issue for Nyoni during the matches.
Although the potential signing of Alexander Isak is exciting, Richard Hughes’ priority for the month should be to secure another center-back. Relying on only three senior defenders, even with Gomez available, poses significant risks.
Hopefully, Slot will have a full squad for the Community Shield and that defensive depth won’t be an ongoing issue this season, as it was when Liverpool last defended the Premier League title five years ago.
