Liverpool are no strangers to injury dramas, but this latest twist feels like a football sitcom. With Jeremie Frimpong sidelined until after the September break and Conor Bradley only just dusting off his boots in training, the club suddenly finds itself short of right-backs. Arne Slot, however, has decided to improvise: midfielders Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai are being mentioned as emergency full-backs. Somewhere, James Milner is chuckling from afar.
Liverpool and the unlikely full-back auditions
Joe Gomez has historically been the “break in case of emergency” option, but his fitness remains a careful balancing act. Giovanni Leoni, the new center-back recruit, is still green at this level. Curtis Jones once had a crack at the role, though it’s not exactly his natural habitat. And now, the big headline: Endo and Szoboszlai stepping into the defensive spotlight. Imagine buying Szoboszlai’s shirt for his attacking flair and then watching him track wingers up and down the touchline. Comedy gold.
Liverpool balancing risk and creativity
Slot himself admitted you can’t prepare for two simultaneous injuries in the same position. He’s right—it would be madness to stockpile five right-backs like Pokémon cards. But the Reds now need adaptability, and this is where his managerial creativity will be tested. The sight of a midfielder moonlighting in defense could either be inspired innovation or a tactical meme waiting to happen.
Author’s take: this gamble is worth watching
If you ask me, Slot should let Szoboszlai try it—he’s got pace, work rate, and the swagger to survive out wide. Endo feels more like an “in case of fire” emergency cover. Newcastle away is a brutal test, but football thrives on these odd experiments. If it works, Slot will look like a genius. If it doesn’t—well, at least we’ll have memes.Let the chaos entertain us all.