Liverpool could be without up to seven first-team players for their upcoming match against Tottenham on Saturday. Arne Slot lamented having only 13 outfield players available for the Reds' recent clash with Brighton. Despite a brace from Hugo Ekitike securing a 2-0 victory for Liverpool, the win came at a cost as injuries further reduced Slot's squad options.
Joe Gomez was substituted in the first half due to a hamstring injury, while Dominik Szoboszlai also had to leave the pitch after hurting his ankle. Mohamed Salah, who replaced Gomez, will also be absent as he leaves for Africa Cup of Nations duty. Slot could only name eight substitutes, one less than the maximum allowed, for the match against Brighton. His bench included two players, Wellity Lucky and Calvin Ramsay, who have yet to make their Premier League debuts.
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Liverpool can expect Conor Bradley to return for the North London trip, following his suspension during the Brighton win. However, due to the ongoing injury crisis, Slot may need to rely on the club's academy to fill his matchday squad.
He has already confirmed that Gomez is expected to miss the Tottenham match, and Szoboszlai is also doubtful.
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Jeremie Frimpong's availability remains uncertain as he nears recovery from a hamstring injury sustained in late October. "If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe (Gomez), that's normally not a positive thing," Slot shared.
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"I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur]. But sometimes you get a positive surprise.
"People now maybe understand a bit better why I was always so cautious not to play him so many games. I assume many people thought, 'If you have a defender, if you have a right full-back, why don't you play him?'"
"And Dom (Szoboszlai), it was his ankle. It didn't look great when I just saw him. But he has unbelievable mentality so let's hope for the best.
"The good thing is that Conor Bradley comes back from a suspension and normally Jeremie Frimpong will train with us also.
"But we're also going to miss Mo (Salah) because he is going to go to the Africa Cup of Nations."
Liverpool are already dealing with the absence of Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo, both confirmed by Slot last week to be out for several weeks due to muscle and ankle injuries, respectively.
Giovanni Leoni continues to be a long-term absentee, having been ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery on an ACL injury suffered during his debut for the club in September.
In the meantime, it remains uncertain why Trey Nyoni was absent from the matchday squad for the Brighton game. Additionally, young players such as Stefan Bajcetic, Jayden Danns (both suffering from hamstring injuries) and Kaide Gordon (meniscus injury) continue to be out of action due to their respective injuries.