Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool: Arne Slot press conference
Liverpool team news ahead of the Premier League clash against Brighton at Anfield.
Arne Slot has admitted that Liverpool pair Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo will be ruled out ‘for weeks’.
The duo were absent from the 1-0 victory over Inter Milan earlier this week. Federico Chiesa was also absent for the Champions League win, although he was ill and did not travel.
Chiesa has recovered from his sickness and should be back involved in tomorrow’s Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield. However, Gakpo (muscle) and Endo (ankle) will be unavailable for a period. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Liverpool head coach Slot said: "Federico is not ill anymore, he trained yesterday and will train again today so I assume he will be ready. It's going to be weeks. Cody has a muscle injury, and Wata has an ankle injury."
In addition, Slot admitted that Alexander Isak suffered a knock against Inter. The striker formed a two-pronged attack with Hugo Ekitike, with the duo be partnered together for just the second time since their respective summer arrivals from Newcastle United and Eintracht Frankfurt. Isak, purchased for a British record fee of £125 million, will have to be assessed.
Slot added: “What we all saw is more play together more adapt and cooperate. It’s fair to say the other two on the pitch, two number nines were more used to playing with each other. Promising things. It was the second time they played together for obvious reasons. Will see more of this. Alex got a knock in the first half so let's see how he has recovered from that.”
Slot also confirmed that he plans to hold talks with Mo Salah about a potential return to the Liverpool squad. The winger was omitted from the Inter game after his bombshell interview following the 3-3 draw at Leeds United. Having been named on the bench for a third successive game, Salah claimed that he had been ‘thrown under a bus’ and that his relationship with Slot had broken down.
"I will have a conversation with Mo this morning, the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow,” said Slot. "I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it. After the Sunderland game there were a lot of conversation between his representatives and ours, between him and me."
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