Arne Slot provided injury updates, spoke about Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak's fitness and made a startling admission on Mohamed Salah during his press conference
Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool at London Stadium on November 30, 2025 in London, England.
Arne Slot hit back at social media abuse and gave a fitness update on Florian Wirtz
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Every topic discussed by Liverpool boss Arne Slot is his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunderland match
Managing Wirtz's fitness and minutes: Slot acknowledged that he must carefully monitor Florian Wirtz, who recently missed time due to injury. The manager noted that for Wirtz to play so many minutes against West Ham “was already a good thing,” but worringly admitted that he cannot be expected to play three full 90-minute games in a week.
Salah’s reaction to being benched: Slot confirmed that Mohamed Salah was understandably unhappy about not starting the last match, calling it a "fair assumption and normal reaction." However, he highly praised Salah’s professionalism, stating the way he behaved was "as you would expect from the professional he is."
Salah’s AFCON departure date: The manager provided a definitive date for Mohamed Salah's release to the Egyptian national team for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot stated simply that Salah "He'll go on December 15," confirming the club is complying with the FIFA mandate.
The importance of Joe Gomez's versatility: Slot highlighted Joe Gomez's invaluable skill of being able to immediately perform at a high level despite periods of being out of the starting lineup. He praised this ability, saying: "When he's not been playing, he can come in and perform straight away."
Managing workload for key players: Slot confirmed that fitness monitoring will dictate his selection choices against Sunderland for several players. He specifically named Isak, Gomez, and Wirtz, stating he doesn't think "they can play three times 90 in a week."
The challenges presented by Sunderland: Slot gave high praise to the quality and identity of their upcoming opponents, Sunderland. He pointed out that their ability to fight and take risks makes them difficult, adding they are "a very hard-working team with a very clear identity."
Addressing social media abuse: Slot spoke about the criticism the team faces during a slump, acknowledging he is 'not stupid' and aware of the online negativity. He downplayed the abuse, stating, "What I notice and feel is the support the fans give me in the stadium," especially during tough moments.
Injury updates and expectations: The manager provided updates on key defenders, confirming Conor Bradley returned to partial team training but is "not 100% yet." He also stated that Jeremie Frimpong is expected back next week, meaning both will miss the Sunderland fixture.