Arne Slot confirms huge Liverpool injury blow which could force serious rethink for Reds boss | OneFootball

Arne Slot could be left with a major selection dilemma for Liverpool’s visit to Newcastle on Monday night.

The Dutchman will recall how his team conceded three goals on their most recent trip to St James’ Park last December, and another two in the Carabao Cup final defeat earlier this year.

LFC-linked Alexander Isak – who scored in both of those matches – is unlikely to be involved this time around amid his ongoing standoff with his current employers, but that might do little to alleviate concerns over the composition of our defence in four days’ time.

Conor Bradley’s inclusion in the Northern Ireland squad for their September games suggests that he’s closing on a return to action, but Slot had frightening news for Liverpool fans during his pre-match press conference this afternoon.

Slot confirms Frimpong injury blow for Liverpool

Jeremie Frimpong was substituted an hour into the 4-2 win over Bournemouth last week, and it’s since emerged that the decision to withdraw him was precautionary, but still came too late to prevent him from picking up an injury which rules him out of the upcoming games against Newcastle and Arsenal.

The Reds’ head coach told the media today (via Liverpool Echo): “The medical team was completely right about Jeremie to take him off because he’s out until the end of the international break.

“We felt Jeremie had an issue in his hamstring – the medical team did. They were right. It was a good call from them as otherwise he could have been out for even longer.

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

“Jeremie has a very positive injury record. Conor has been out once or twice last season. These things happen. We only have two injuries at the same moment but they are in the same position.

“Joe Gomez hasn’t had a setback but he wasn’t able to train three days in a row. We will see where he is on Monday and if he can start.”

Slot could be forced to deploy an emergency right-back solution

With Frimpong sidelined, Bradley only back in light training today and Gomez uncertain to start, that could leave Slot needing to deploy an emergency solution at right-back against a team who qualified for this season’s Champions League.

Wataru Endo replaced Frimpong in that position against Bournemouth, but that ill-conceived experiment was abandoned 10 minutes later as David Brooks ran the Japanese midfielder ragged, setting up the first of Antoine Semenyo’s two goals in that time.

It’s safe to say that our number 3 won’t be utilised at right-back against Ashley Barnes on Monday, so if Gomez isn’t fit enough to start, it could lead to Dominik Szoboszlai being tasked with that role.

Slot did use the Hungarian in that position during a pre-season win over Stoke last month, and the 24-year-old acquitted himself well by all accounts, but trying to replicate that against a team of Newcastle’s attacking capabilities would represent an altogether different challenge.

Fingers crossed that our long-serving number 2 is given the green light to start on Monday, and that Frimpong will be back in action when we travel to Burnley in our first match after the September international break.