'They will…' – Arne Slot drops encouraging hint on Liverpool duo ahead of Man United showdown
01/03/2025 05:27 AM
Arne Slot had mixed news for Liverpool fans at this morning's press conference ahead of the showdown against Manchester United on Sunday.
The Reds boss confirmed that the hamstring injury that Joe Gomez incurred in last week's win over West Ham will sideline the 27-year-old for 'a few weeks', a most unwelcome development in a position where LFC have been hit by numerous concerns already this season.
Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley have been out of action since late November, but it now appears that both could be nearing what'd be a hugely timely return to the fold.
Slot shares Liverpool injury update
When asked for updates on the injury front on Friday morning, Slot relayed the news about Gomez before adding (via liverpoolfc.com): "Conor and Ibou will train with us today for the first time, so [I am] curious and interested to see where they exactly are, of course.
"They have worked hard to come back to the team but the next step is always, 'How do you handle team sessions?' They will train with us today, the two of them."
Slot also declared that there were no further injury concerns for Liverpool ahead of the Man United clash, saying: "Hopefully everybody is ready – except for Joe Gomez – to be part of the game on Sunday."
Slot needs to manage his squad effectively this month
Amid the news that Gomez will be sidelined for a few weeks, the return of Konate in particular can't come soon enough.
The United game might just be slightly too early for him to be thrown straight back into action, so Jarell Quansah seems likely to be entrusted as Virgil van Dijk's centre-back partner on Sunday, but the Frenchman might make his comeback against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
It could be the same for Bradley, who won't displace Trent Alexander-Arnold at the weekend but could come in to start against either Spurs on Wednesday or Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup three days later. He might even be selected for both of those games in order to build up fitness and give the vice-captain a rest after a hectic December.
Sunday's fixture is the first of eight matches for Liverpool this month, with five of those being played in the space of a fortnight before the Champions League resumes on 21 January, so squad management will be crucial for Slot over the coming weeks.
Gomez's injury has come at a dreadful time, but at least it's mitigated somewhat by the seemingly immiment returns of Konate and Bradley, who'll both have a big part to play in the four competitions on the Reds' schedule over the second half of the season.
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