Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool return to action on Saturday afternoon as they welcome Wolves to Anfield in the Premier League, with Arne Slot still assessing his available options against the struggling Midlands side. Conor Bradley is rated as “50-50” to feature, according to Slot, after the defender was forced off at half-time during last weekend’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur following a collision with Djed Spence.
Cody Gakpo is also considered a doubt, having missed the last three matches with a muscle problem. Should either player fail to recover in time, both are expected to return for the home fixture against Leeds United on New Year’s Day. There is better news regarding Florian Wirtz, whose late substitution against Tottenham was due to cramp and is not considered a serious concern.
However, Alexander Isak is among those ruled out after undergoing surgery on Monday for an ankle injury that included a fractured fibula. The Swedish striker sustained the injury after a challenge from Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven while scoring the opening goal. Joe Gomez remains sidelined with the muscle injury that forced him off early in the home draw with Brighton the previous weekend, while Wataru Endo continues to recover from an ankle problem.
Dominik Szoboszlai will also miss the match through suspension after receiving his fifth Premier League booking of the season on Saturday. Elsewhere, Mohamed Salah is away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt in Morocco, and teenage centre-back Giovanni Leoni has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following ACL surgery in September.
Slot said: “I think it’s the time for the players we do have available to do what they have done so many times, to roll their sleeves up. Not only our players but our fans as well, to help us in the best possible way to get the results we want in the upcoming two games, because therefore the players that are available need to give everything they have. As the fans – as they usually do and I expect them to do again as well – will help us. That is where my focus is on.”
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