Arne Slot Reveals Double Liverpool Injury Boost for Community Shield

Liverpool still have some defensive headaches to solve for the season-opener against Crystal Palace.

Arne Slot had positive news for Liverpool fans. / IMAGO/Propaganda Photo

Liverpool manager Arne Slot predicted that Virgil van Dijk and Alisson would both be fit for Sunday’s Community Shield against Crystal Palace, although the club’s defensive issues may very well persist.

The reigning Premier League champions played Athletic Club twice on Monday in their last friendlies of pre-season. Slot used 32 different players but neither the club’s captain nor first-choice goalkeeper featured.

Alisson left Liverpool’s touring squad of Asia to return to Brazil for “private reasons”. Slot admitted it was “far from ideal”. Van Dijk has been eased through this summer’s fixtures and wasn’t involved at all for the club’s emotional return to Anfield.

Slot revealed ahead of kick-off that his Dutch skipper was recovering from illness on Monday and expected him to be fit again by Sunday. “Alisson will be back in time as well,” the manager confirmed.

Alisson (left) and Virgil van Dijk both missed Liverpool’s last friendlies of pre-season. / IMAGO/PA Images

However, it was not a clean bill of health. “Almost all of them are fit or stayed fit,” Slot mused. “Joe Gomez is not there, Conor Bradley is not there.” He added that “it’s going to be tight” for them to feature at Wembley Stadium this weekend.

Gomez pulled up with a minor Achilles injury towards the end of July, leaving Slot with Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté as the only senior centre backs at his disposal. The Dutch boss has remained defiantly adamant that he has no “concerns” about this dearth of defenders, pointing out that defensive midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo can perform in the role when needed.

Liverpool have nevertheless been linked with a move for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi this summer, although they face competition from Newcastle United.

Bradley had been a regular at right back this summer in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of incoming summer recruit Jeremie Frimpong. Liverpool confirmed that the Northern Ireland international has been nursing a “minor injury” and faces a race against time to be fit this weekend.

Frimpong is a natural replacement, yet he won’t be tasked with replicating Alexander-Arnold’s creative output—that burden has been lumbered on the shoulders of Florian Wirtz.

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Grey Whitebloom is a writer, reporter and editor for Sports Illustrated FC. Born and raised in London, he is an avid follower of German, Italian and Spanish top flight football.