Joe Gomez could return to the Liverpool squad for Wednesday's important Premier League match at Sunderland but even if he doesn't, one player won't start at right-back
Arne Slot speaks at his Liverpool press conference to preview the trip to Sunderland
Arne Slot speaks at his Liverpool press conference to preview the trip to Sunderland
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Arne Slot hasn't ruled out Joe Gomez answering Liverpool's right-back crisis at Sunderland on Wednesday evening. But the Reds boss will not turn to Calvin Ramsay as an alternative for the pivotal showdown in the North East.
The Reds are still without regular options Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley through injury while Dominik Szoboszlai, who has stepped in on the right of defence for the last two games, is suspended following his late red card in Sunday's 2-1 Premier League defeat at home to Manchester City.
But while Slot offered a gloomy prognosis on Gomez immediately after the City loss, he has now revealed the England international will return to training on Tuesday and has an outside chance of starting at the Stadium of Light where Liverpool must win to keep in touch with the Champions League qualification places.
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"Joe hasn't trained with us yet," said the Reds boss on Tuesday. "I'm expecting him today for the first time.
"Indeed, if Joe is not ready to start then we are missing four players that have played in that position (right-back).
"But Curtis (Jones) and Wata (Wataru Endo) have played in this position so we've had six different right full-backs this season."
Ramsay started the League Cup defeat to Crystal Palace in October but has never featured in the Premier League despite arriving from Aberdeen in the summer of 2022.
And responding to suggestions the 22-year-old could be an option at right-back, Slot said: "In general if you don't win a game, the players who aren't playing become the best players in the squad. That's the same everywhere in the world.
"This is an example of that as well. I just want to protect all my players. I've chosen other players until now and that's also what I'm going to do tomorrow."
Alexander Isak remains missing following a broken leg while Giovanni Leoni is sidelined for the season as he continues to recover from ACL surgery.
New Liverpool centre-back signing Jeremy Jacquet, who will arrive in the summer in a £60million deal, is also facing a length spell out with claims in France he could need an operation on a shoulder injury suffered at the weekend while playing for Rennes against Lens.
And Slot has addressed suggestions the Reds have suffered from poor fortune this season.
"It feels like that, that is for sure," he said. "Even if we sign a player and he's not even playing for us, he gets injured.
"But the moment you feel it's just bad luck then it comes to you as well. So we need to keep away from that as much as possible and focus on improving performances.
"The amount of times we are conceded late goals in extra-time is far more than usual. The question is it bad luck or are we to blame?
"I've tried many things and sometimes and I can definitely say we haven't been lucky, that is true. But is it bad luck or who we are? That is sometimes we'll find out in the next three to four months."