Slot rueful as another…

Arne Slot has expressed his concern that the “last thing” Liverpool needs this season is yet another injury, particularly after midfielder Wataru Endo was carried off on a stretcher during the match against Sunderland.

Endo had already been stepping in for sidelined players at right-back and is now anticipated to be out for “a long time” due to a foot injury. This setback comes as Slot’s squad faces increasing challenges ahead of their FA Cup fourth-round match against Brighton & Hove Albion.

“Managing the load on players is crucial because we simply cannot afford another injury right now,” Slot stated.

“It’s a constant challenge for the manager and the medical team to make the best decisions. While it’s true that a player might get hurt by playing three games in a week, it’s also happened that players have managed it successfully.”

“The priority right now is to train today, assess how the players are feeling, and then make the best possible decisions,” he added.

Liverpool recently defeated League One team Barnsley to secure their spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and Slot acknowledged the need for his team to capitalize on opportunities to progress further in the competition.

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“The margins have been razor thin for us this season,” he noted. “Whenever the opposition gets a chance, they seem to score, while we have to exert significant effort just to find the back of the net.

“I didn’t notice much of a difference in the last 20 minutes of Wednesday’s win against Sunderland compared to our game against City. The key difference was that when they finally capitalized on their opportunity after we scored, it resulted in a goal. Until then, we were pressing them for a second goal. The margins really are quite small.”