Liverpool manager Arne Slot has a decision to make with four right-backs unavailable for their Premier League game against Sunderland on Wednesday after Dominik Szoboszlai's red card
Arne Slot
Arne Slot won't pick Calvin Ramsay at right-back(Image: Getty Images)
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Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he would rather play a midfielder out of position at right-back against Sunderland than pick Calvin Ramsay. The Reds have a crisis in the position with injuries and suspensions severely limiting Slot's options for trip to the Stadium of Light on Wednesday.
Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong are both unavailable through injury, while Joe Gomez is also a major doubt as he fights to be fit. Dominik Szoboszlai has regularly filled in at right-back this season but is also unavailable after picking up a suspension through a late red card in the 2-1 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday.
Some Liverpool fans have questioned why Ramsay has not come into the equation, given the 22-year-old is the only specialist right-back available to Slot. The Scot has made just three first-team appearances for Liverpool and won't add to them against Sunderland, with Slot giving a brutal answer when asked about him in the pre-match press conference.
"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," the Liverpool manager said.
"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."
Ramsay has made just one senior appearance for Liverpool this season, against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in October, and has been stuck in the under-21s. He has spent the past few years on loan at Preston, Bolton, Wigan and Kilmarnock and clearly hasn't impressed Slot.
Slot will likely choose between midfielders Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo to play against the Black Cats at right-back. But there remains the possibility that defender Gomez could come into the starting line-up.
Calvin Ramsay of Liverpool
Calvin Ramsay hasn't impressed Arne Slot(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
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"Joe hasn't trained with us yet. I'm expecting him today for the first time," Slot added. "Indeed, if Joe is not ready to start then we are missing four players who have played right-back. Curtis and Wata played in this position so had six different right full-backs."
Liverpool have been riddled with injuries this season and suffered another blow over the weekend, with £60million January signing Jeremy Jacquet leaving the pitch in agony. The French defender will only join the Reds in the summer after completing the season with Rennes, but the injury is another example of Liverpool's bad luck.
"It feels like that, that is for sure," Slot said when asked about the Jacquet blow. "Even if we sign a player and he's not even playing for us, he gets injured.
"But the moment you think it's just bad luck then it comes to you as well. So we need to keep away from that and focus on improving performances. The amount of times we are conceded late on is more than usual, so what's the reason for that.
"I can definitely say we haven't been lucky, that is true. But is it bad luck or who we are? We will find out over rest of season."
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