Arne Slot Provides Injury Updates Ahead Of Premier League Clash With Southampton
Arne Slot has been without several key players this season, namely Alisson Becker, who suffered a hamstring injury during the Premier League clash with Crystal Palace over a month ago. Liverpool have also been without Harvey Elliott for the entire season following a broken foot. Diogo Jota for weeks following a rib injury against Chelsea after the last international break. And Federico Chiesa has been struggling with fitness since joining the Reds late in the Summer transfer window.
This has not stopped Slot from leading his team to the best start of a new manager in Premier League history, with the Merseyside club sitting atop both the Premier League and the new format UEFA Champions League tables with just one loss and one draw in 16 matches.
Slot spoke to the media today about the return of some of these players including some big names which received a scare midweek, with Virgil van Dijk returning early from international duty due to apparent discomfort at international camp. Slot had the following to say:
When asked about Alisson Becker
“We are careful with everyone, especially when it comes to muscle injuries.
“But he is back in training with the goalkeeper coach. He is not training with the team yet, but that is expected to be done soon, and then let’s wait and see where he is in terms of match fitness.
“But he is getting better and better, but not ready to play [on] Sunday.”
Arne then addressed the rest of the squad updates
“Virgil is all good. He is training with us today.
“Trent isn’t training with us yet, but he is getting there so we expect him to be back with us soon.
“Harvey is training with us again so that’s the positive thing, he has been out for many weeks but he is on the training ground again with the team. So, that’s a positive thing for him.
“Jota is still apart from the group, same as Federico, who is coming back into the session maybe in one exercise today.
“They are all expected to be back within now and a few weeks, but the last part of the recovery is always the most difficult one. So, let’s wait and see. But Virgil is completely OK.”
Slot was then asked about expected returns for those players missing given the upcoming games with Manchester City and Real Madrid
“That is something we have to wait and see because I just said that the last few days of a recovery are always the ones that are most tricky,”
“Because then they have to go from isolated training sessions towards the group training session – and that step is always the most difficult one.
“So, for me it is difficult to judge now and to tell you now if it is going to be one, two or three days or a bit longer. The only thing I can say is that with Alisson and with Jota, I don’t expect them to be available for that game.
“With Trent, it’s going to be in between.”
Liverpool travel to face Southampton in their next Premier League clash hoping to keep their five point lead at the top of the table secure before heading to face a difficult doube header of Real Madrid and the team chasing them, Manchester City in the next week.
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