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Liverpool boss Arne Slot has delivered a significant boost to fans by confirming Trent Alexander-Arnold’s availability for this weekend’s highly anticipated clash against Manchester City. The Reds’ talismanic right-back has recovered from a hamstring injury, returning to the squad in their midweek Champions League triumph over Real Madrid, albeit as an unused substitute.
The timing of Alexander-Arnold’s return could not be better, with Liverpool facing a defensive headache after injuries to Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konaté.
Photo: IMAGO
Defensive Injuries Raise Concerns
Slot revealed concerns over Bradley and Konaté, both of whom sustained injuries during the Real Madrid encounter. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Slot said:
“(They are) still being assessed so difficult to see where they are in terms of the injury. Let’s wait and see but it is never a good sign. Conor, I had to take him off and Ibou didn’t walk off the pitch as he should after such a fantastic game that he played. He should have made a round and clapped the fans but he couldn’t.”
Photo: IMAGO
The Liverpool manager emphasised the tight turnaround between matches, making it challenging to evaluate their fitness fully.
“It is so close after the game last night and I have just come off the training pitch so I can’t tell you exactly where they are. We have to wait and see where they are this weekend.”
Key Players Still Absent
Liverpool’s injury list remains daunting, with Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa, and Kostas Tsimikas all sidelined. These absences add further weight to Alexander-Arnold’s timely return as Liverpool aim to consolidate their position at the Premier League summit.
A victory against Manchester City would push the Reds eleven points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side. Despite City’s poor form, Slot remains cautious about underestimating the reigning champions.
Slot Praises City’s Resilience
While City have failed to win in their last six outings across all competitions, Slot refused to label this encounter as straightforward.
“In the last eight or nine years or longer I don’t think anyone would have said City home or away — the word easy never comes to mind.
“I know everyone is looking at their results but if you face them, you analyse it. Against Brighton they were 1-0 up, could have scored two or three and got beaten 2-1. Against Tottenham after 20 minutes they could have been two or three goals up but weren’t. Against Feyenoord that has not happened many times. They were 3-0 up and completely dominated the game.”
Photo: IMAGO
Slot reserved praise for Guardiola, emphasising his ability to adapt and find solutions even amid adversity, such as the absence of key midfielder Rodri.
“They are still a very, very, very good team and one of the reasons I think Pep is the best manager in the world is he always comes up with solutions. His problem now might be that Rodri is out but we all know he will come up with a solution and they will go again.”
Liverpool Eyeing Commanding Lead
As Liverpool prepare for a high-stakes showdown, Slot will hope Alexander-Arnold’s creativity can unlock City’s defence. With injuries testing the squad’s depth, a strong performance at the Etihad could underline Liverpool’s title credentials and widen the gap between them and their closest rivals.
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