Several key Liverpool players are set to miss the Premier League clash against Tottenham.
Liverpool could be without up to seven senior players when they travel to Tottenham on Saturday, with Arne Slot facing a mounting injury crisis ahead of their final game before Christmas.
The Reds secured a 2-0 victory over Brighton last weekend thanks to Hugo Ekitike’s brace, but the win came at a significant cost. Joe Gomez suffered a first-half hamstring injury, while Dominik Szoboszlai hobbled off late with an ankle problem. Mohamed Salah, who replaced Gomez, will also miss the Tottenham fixture as he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Liverpool Tottenham
Liverpool are set to have a lot of players missing against Tottenham
Slot confirmed after the Brighton match that Gomez is expected to miss the trip to North London, while Szoboszlai’s participation remains uncertain. He said (h/t Liverpool.com):
“If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe (Gomez), that’s normally not a positive thing. I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur]. But sometimes you get a positive surprise.”
On Szoboszlai’s ankle injury, the Dutch manager appeared concerned, stating:
“And Dom (Szoboszlai), it was his ankle. It didn’t look great when I just saw him. But he has unbelievable mentality, so let’s hope for the best.”
Liverpool are already without Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo, with Slot confirming both players are expected out for several weeks due to injuries. Salah’s AFCON departure adds another attacking absence.
Long-Term Casualties
Giovanni Leoni remains on the long-term injury list after being ruled out for the season following ACL surgery. The injury occurred during his debut in September.
Young talents Stefan Bajcetic and Jayden Danns continue recovering from hamstring injuries, while Kaide Gordon remains sidelined with a meniscus problem. Trey Nyoni’s absence from the Brighton matchday squad remains unexplained.
The injury crisis does have one silver lining. Conor Bradley returns from suspension for the Tottenham fixture. Jeremie Frimpong is also nearing a return from the hamstring injury that has kept him out since late October. Slot said:
“The good thing is that Conor Bradley comes back from a suspension, and normally Jeremie Frimpong will train with us also. But we’re also going to miss Mo (Salah) because he is going to go to the Africa Cup of Nations.”
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Slot was only able to name an eight-man bench against Brighton, one short of the maximum allowed. His substitutes included Wellity Lucky and Calvin Ramsay, neither of whom have made their Premier League debuts.
The manager may need to rely on academy players again to fill his matchday squad at Tottenham, having already promoted young talents due to the ongoing crisis. His cautious squad management earlier in the season now makes more sense given the mounting injuries.
For Tottenham, Liverpool’s depleted squad presents an opportunity to secure three points against weakened opposition, though the Reds’ quality depth and Slot’s tactical acumen mean they remain dangerous despite the absences.