Arne Slot has offered an injury update on Kostas Tsimikas, Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley ahead of Liverpool's festive period
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Arne Slot Head Coach of Liverpool and Kostas Tsimikas of Liverpool having a look at the pitch before the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Emirates Stadium
Arne Slot Head Coach of Liverpool and Kostas Tsimikas of Liverpool having a look at the pitch before the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Emirates Stadium
(Image: Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Arne Slot has admitted he is not yet able to put a specific timeframe on when Liverpool’s remaining injured players will be available to make their returns for the Reds. Having welcomed back Alisson Becker against Girona last week, the Dutchman’s hand is set to be bolstered further with Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa both back in contention ahead of his side’s home clash with Fulham.
However, Liverpool remain without the services of Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Conor Bradley. Slot has previously revealed that he expects the trio to be back in contention by January.
Tsimikas took part in individual training out on the grass at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday. However, the Reds head coach confirmed that it was only a positive first step for the Greek, and one that Konate and Bradley are not yet fit enough to take themselves.
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“He has made the first positive step,” he said of Tsimikas. “But when players are back on the grass, still playing time, sometimes there is a little bit of time in between that.
“But I cannot say exactly how long because not every player reacts in the same way. Some players are earlier back with the same injury and some players need a little bit more time.”
Regarding Konate and Bradley, he continued: “I have no clue (when they will be back), they are not on the pitch yet.
“Well, of course I have a clue, but it is not that there is a game in our heads that we want them back for, no.”
With Tsimikas sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in training last month, Andy Robertson has completed the full 90 minutes in Liverpool’s last six matches.
Such a run is in contrast to when Slot had previously looked to rotate between his two senior left-backs. However, a consistent place in the team has enabled the Scotland international to rediscover his best form, leading to him being awarded Player of the Match by UEFA following the Reds’ win over Girona.
Slot admits there is a fine line between giving a player rhythm and over-playing them. And while he is delighted with Robertson’s recent form, he conceded he would favour Tsimikas returning to action as soon as possible so he can manage the pair’s minutes more carefully over a frantic festive period.
“Rhythm is always a bit of a challenge, compared to not over-playing them, especially in these positions,” he said. “So, for example, the left full back position is a position where you run much more than the centre back position.
“That is something you have to take into account. I am really happy with how Robbo is coping with this at the moment. But everybody is telling me, and I know, there are many, many, many games still to come in the upcoming month and January as well.
“So I am hoping that Kostas is back as soon as he can be because playing all these games in that position is… a risk is a bit much to say but you could ask too much from him.”
Slot is realistic that while Liverpool are now starting to welcome players back from injury, his squad is unlikely to stay injury-free during the second half of the season.
He still faces a challenge to keep everyone happy when all his squad is available though, and has warned his squad about their roles within the group as he anticipated having to make some difficult selection decisions in the weeks and months ahead.
But Slot also reiterated that the Reds will need every member of their first team squad if they are to maintain their impeccable campaign so far, which sees them top both the Premier League and Champions League tables.
“In a season where it has been Harvey, it has been Alisson, it has been Jota (injured),” he said. “Hopefully they are all available (for the rest of the season) but that (having a fully fit squad all season) is probably never going to happen.
“So that is why we need players like Harvey (Elliott), players like Wataru (Endo), all these players for the second half of the season because there will come a moment when we are definitely going to need them.
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"These players have already done really well and sometimes that is the challenge we have now as well. That if all the players are available, they also still have to accept their roles. And that is something we talk about a lot with the players.
"But I have no complaints at all about that up until now. So everybody is very positive, trying to get the best out of the team, but the more players available, the more difficult choices there are."