Liverpool faces a deepening injury crisis ahead of their crucial Premier League clash against Manchester City, with four key players sidelined. As they prepare to visit the Etihad Stadium, the team aims to regain momentum in the title race after drawing two of their last three matches. Despite a narrow win over Wolves at Anfield, recent performances have raised concerns.
Currently, Liverpool holds an eight-point lead at the top of the table, but Arsenal, in second place, can reduce that gap to five if they secure a victory against West Ham on Saturday. With a game in hand, Arsenal remains a serious threat, adding further pressure on Liverpool to deliver a strong result against City. Manager Arne Slot will be eager to replicate the dominance his side displayed in the reverse fixture at Anfield. However, injuries have left him with a weakened squad ahead of this critical encounter.
During their recent draw with Aston Villa, Conor Bradley suffered a muscle injury and was forced off with 24 minutes remaining. The full extent of his injury remains unknown, but he is expected to miss both the Manchester City match and the upcoming fixture against Newcastle. His absence adds to Liverpool’s growing concerns, as Joe Gomez, Cody Gakpo, and Tyler Morton are also ruled out.
Gomez recently underwent surgery for a hamstring issue and is unlikely to return before the final weeks of the season. Meanwhile, Gakpo remains a doubt, having missed the last two matches due to a knock sustained against Everton. He has yet to resume full training and faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. Morton’s situation is equally frustrating, as he has undergone shoulder surgery, keeping him out of action for a significant period.
These injuries leave Liverpool without adequate cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold, a crucial figure in their defensive setup. The vice-captain has only just returned from injury, alongside Diogo Jota, and Slot is carefully managing their minutes to avoid further setbacks. The Liverpool boss recently admitted that adjustments to their playing time were necessary due to the mounting fitness concerns.
“We spoke about this last week, and we had a plan for these five games regarding his minutes. That was when Conor [Bradley] was available. Now, we might have to adjust,” Slot explained.
“I told him, ‘You know why I’m taking you off, right?’ He said, ‘Yes, we discussed it.’ But, of course, players run on adrenaline, and he had just scored. It was a much better situation than against Wolves when he lost the ball before I substituted him. He is improving.”
Although Jota and Alexander-Arnold are not currently injured, Slot emphasized that they are still returning to full match fitness. “These two players are coming back from injury—Jota and Trent—so that’s why they aren’t playing 90 minutes in every game. If they did, it would be a huge risk. We saw that yesterday with Conor Bradley,” he added.
With a depleted squad, Liverpool faces a challenging test against a formidable City side. Slot must find a way to navigate these injury setbacks and deliver a performance that keeps their title hopes alive. Fans will be hoping for a resilient display as Liverpool aims to maintain their lead at the top of the table in what promises to be a pivotal encounter in the Premier League title race.
