Liverpool manager Arne Slot cites a crippling injury list as a key factor in their faltering Premier League title defence ahead of a crucial FA Cup tie at Wolves.
LONDON: Liverpool manager Arne Slot is adamant that injuries have played a major role in his side’s faltering defence of their Premier League title.
The Reds suffered their ninth league loss of the season with a 2-1 defeat at bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Tuesday. They return to Molineux on Friday for an FA Cup fifth-round tie.
Slot said the absence of key players has hampered Liverpool’s progress. British-record signing Alexander Isak has been sidelined since mid-December with a broken leg.
Florian Wirtz, who could be on the bench after missing three matches with a back injury, is another significant loss. Slot told reporters that Wirtz’s creativity from open play was sorely missed.
“One of the players who is able to create a lot from open play is Florian Wirtz and unfortunately he got injured three games ago,” Slot said. He added that the team had to constantly adjust to such setbacks this season.
Liverpool’s defence has been hit particularly hard. Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both suffered season-ending injuries, while Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong have also spent lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Slot rejected suggestions that Liverpool should have increased their squad depth. The club spent around £450 million on new players during the summer transfer window.
“I always knew when I came in here that this was the model and I’m really happy with that,” Slot said. He acknowledged, however, that the model meant injuries hurt the team more.
The importance of set-pieces has been under the spotlight in recent weeks. Arsenal’s proficiency in that department has helped them move seven points clear at the top of the table.
Liverpool struggled both defensively and offensively from set-pieces for much of the campaign. They have improved since the turn of the year, scoring three times from first-half corners in last weekend’s 5-2 win over West Ham.
Slot is set to make changes for Liverpool’s second game of the week against Wolves. He was cautious about Wirtz’s chances of featuring in the FA Cup tie.
“He trained half-and-half with the team yesterday, so he made the next step in his rehab,” said Slot. He added they would assess if Wirtz could be available for a few minutes.
Slot also commented on the general difficulty of creating chances in the Premier League. He said Liverpool were not the only team finding it hard to create from open play.
The Sun Malaysia
