Players of Liverpool participate in a training session on December 19, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)placeholder image
Players of Liverpool participate in a training session on December 19, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Things spotted from Liverpool training ahead of the Premier League clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Arne Slot is expected to have a depleted squad to select from when Liverpool face Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Reds boss will have at least seven players unavailable for the Anfield encounter on Saturday because of injury, suspension and the African Cup of Nations.
Four Liverpool players will definitely be sidelined against the Premier League’s basement side due to fitness problems. Alexander Isak is set for at least a couple of months on the sidelines after breaking his leg when scoring in last weekend’s 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur. Slot was shocked that Micky van de Ven’s challenge on the striker went unpunished.
Isak will join Giovanni Leoni (ACL) in terms of the long-term absentees, while Joe Gomez (muscle) and Wataru Endo (ankle) remain unavailable. In addition, Slot admitted that Conor Bradley, who was forced off after half-time against Spurs, is 50/50 to feature along with Cody Gakpo. Both will be assessed later this week.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will be without Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been their best performer this campaign, as he picked up a fifth Premier League booking of the season at Tottenham. The midfielder must serve a one-match suspension. And it could be the second of potentially seven games that Mo Salah is unavailable as he represents Egypt at AFCON. The winger came to his country’s rescue with a stoppage-time goal to earn a 2-1 win over Zimbabwe in their opening fixture of the competition.
Certainly, the absentees were noticeable in Liverpool’s most recent training session. The club uploaded footage on Tuesday and Slot was short of numbers at the AXA Training Centre. Perhaps what was more concerning was a new player could not be seen out on the grass.
Ibrahima Konate could be spotted arriving in Kirkby and meeting Jonathan Power, who is the club’s director of medical and performance. The centre-back could not be sighted on the training pitch, however.
With Gomez still rehabbing - he was seen in the gym - it means that Virgil van Dijk was the Reds’ only senior central defender in the session outside. Wellity Lucky, the 19-year-old academy player who was on the bench at Tottenham, was involved.
There is no indication that Konate will miss the Wolves match. The France international has had injury issues in the past but has remain unscathed this campaign and started every Premier League match so far. Given Gomez is unavailable, he could well be being carefully managed to ensure he’s fit for Wolves’ visit.
If Konate were to be unavailable, it is likely that Andy Robertson would deputise centrally. Slot has also used Ryan Gravenberch as a centre-half on several occasions during games but he is a key man in the midfield. Endo has played centre-back during his career but is unavailable.
Along with Lucky, youngsters Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison and Tommy Piling were involved in training. Nyoni came off the bench to replace Florian Wirtz late against Spurs, which was the midfielder’s Premier League debut.
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