Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool have suffered a major injury concern during their Premier League clash with Sunderland on Wednesday night. Wataru Endo was forced off with an injury and replaced by Joe Gomez.
Endo was filling in at right-back for the suspended Dominik Szoboszlai, who had been covering for the injured Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong.
The Japan international was making just his second Premier League start under Arne Slot, but his night ended early after landing awkwardly on his ankle in the second half.
He tried to continue, but the pain was too severe, and he was eventually stretchered off following a lengthy stoppage. Joe Gomez, recently returning from injury, replaced him as Liverpool looked to hold a lead secured by Virgil van Dijk’s header.
Ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Sunderland on Wednesday, Arne Slot remained coy when asked who would start at right-back. “Joe hasn’t trained with us yet. I’m expecting him today for the first time,” he explained.
“Indeed, if Joe is not ready to start then we are missing four players who have played right-back. Curtis (Jones) and [Wataru Endo] played in this position so we have had six different right full-backs.”
Arne Slot admitted that while he is reluctant to blame Liverpool’s struggles this season on bad luck, their mounting injury problems are hard to ignore. The situation worsened further last week when Jeremy Jacquet, set to join the Reds in the summer, suffered a serious shoulder injury.
“It feels like [bad luck], that is for sure,” he said. “Even if we sign a player and he’s not even playing for us (Jacquet), 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. “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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