Liverpool team news ahead of the Premier League clash against Wolves at Molineux.
Arne Slot has provided a Liverpool fitness update ahead of the trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.
The Reds have the chance to further strengthen their Champions League qualification credentials, having moved into the top five after Saturday’s 5-2 win over West Ham United.
Victory for Liverpool against Wolves on Tuesday evening will see them move six points above sixth-placed Chelsea in the table and level on points with Aston Villa, who are fourth.
Florian Wirtz has missed Liverpool’s past two matches because of a back injury. Slot admitted after the West Ham triumph that Wirtz was unlikely to make a return against Wolves - and is unlikely to face Rob Edwards’ side in the FA Cup fifth round at Molinuex.
The Liverpool head coach said at his pre-match press conference: “I don't have anything different to say to what I said after the game. The game tomorrow will probably come too soon and maybe the game at the weekend as well. But let's see how it all ends up. We hope to have him back sometime next week, maybe a bit earlier or a bit later, but that is the timescale."
Jeremie Frimpong made a return from a groin injury off the bench against West Ham. He played a key part in Liverpool’s fifth goal, with Frimpong’s cross being converted into his own net by Hammers defender Axel Disasi.
However, Slot has suggested that Frimpong may not be ready to start against Wolves given he’s also had hamstring issues since joining from Bayer Leverkusen. “I don’t think the only position struggled right full-back but it’s the one that stands out,” said Slot. “Having Jeremie back is really nice but it does go through your mind. Playing three games in seven days then we play Galatasaray away and then we have the early kick-off against Brighton, 12.30.
“Those things all have to be taken into account, especially with players who come back from injuries. But we also know the importance of every single game and that is a challenge; performance-staff, the player, the manager has but I’m not the only one who has that. I’d prefer to have this problem to manage how many minutes I have to give him than to see him with the medical staff doing his recovery.”
With Conor Bradley to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, Liverpool still have some concerns at right-back with Frimpong doubtful to feature from the outset. Joe Gomez started against West Ham but the versatile defender has had his well-documented injury issues over the past few years and recently overcame a hip problem.
Slot cast doubt around whether Gomez can make successive outings at Wolves. Slot added: “We have spoken about Jeremie but we can also say the same about Joe Gomez. He played 75 minutes for the second time. The [second] last start he had before this weekend was against West Ham, three or four months ago. These are all things; this is our situation this season, and in the meantime, I think the players handled that really well.”
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