Liverpool manager Arne Slot has announced an unexpected double injury blow for his side ahead of Saturday's Premier League home scrap with Nottingham Forest.
The champions-in-crisis host Sean Dyche's men at Anfield bidding to bounce back from a humbling 3-0 loss to Manchester City before the international break - already their fifth defeat of the Premier League campaign.
Liverpool have already suffered more losses in the 2025-26 top-flight season than they did in the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign, results that have left them in an unremarkable eighth place in the Premier League table, eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
The Merseyside giants were expected to receive reassuring news on the injury front ahead of the visit of Forest, and Slot confirmed in his pre-game press conference that Alisson Becker was on course to return from his hamstring injury this weekend.
However, Liverpool will have to cope without right-back Conor Bradley and Florian Wirtz in gameweek 12 due to fresh injuries, as well as the already-stricken Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni.
Liverpool without Florian Wirtz, Conor Bradley for Nottingham Forest clash
Midfielder Florian Wirtz pictured in action for Germany
"Alisson trained last week and this week, so he will be able to play tomorrow if things work out well today again," Slot told reporters. "But we do have some issues after the international break.
"Conor Bradley is not able to play, Florian Wirtz is not able to play. So that's far from ideal," he added. "Jeremie is already out, Giovanni Leoni."
Asked about Wirtz and Bradley's problems, Slot replied: "Both muscle issues. I don't expect Conor to be part of the upcoming 22 days, maybe in the end, unless a miracle happens which I don't expect.
"Florian, depends on how things work but shouldn't be that long. Jeremie is probably not going to be available for the next two or three weeks as well."
How can Liverpool replace Conor Bradley, Florian Wirtz?
David Lynch YouTube image
The right-back crisis rears its ugly head once again for Liverpool boss Slot, who will either have to shoe-horn in a midfielder, risk an injury-prone defender or turn to a forgotten man with Bradley and Frimpong both sidelined.
The option of Dominik Szoboszlai returning to the right side was mooted in his press conference, although Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez were also mentioned, but Slot did emphasise the latter's lack of full matches recently.
Alternatively, Slot could turn to the seldom-seen Calvin Ramsay, who started their EFL Cup fourth-round loss to Crystal Palace and has been a regular for the Under-21s this season after putting his fitness woes behind him.
Wirtz's absence opens the door for Cody Gakpo to come back in on the left-hand side of the attack, although the teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha is another natural option for Slot out wide.
However, Wirtz's issue also opens up the possibility of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike playing in the same starting lineup, either with one on the left or both starting through the middle in a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 setup.
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