Arne Slot has offered a fresh update on Liverpool’s growing injury concerns ahead of Wednesday night’s trip to Sunderland, with the Reds’ right-back shortage again dominating the discussion.
Liverpool were already stretched in defence during Sunday’s 1-2 defeat to Manchester City, a match that saw Dominik Szoboszlai sent off after filling in at right-back.
With Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez all unavailable, Slot was forced into another reshuffle, and the fallout continues to shape his selection thinking.
Speaking on Tuesday, Slot confirmed that Gomez is edging closer to a return, though his involvement remains uncertain.
🔴 Arne Slot admits right-back crisis worsens with injured trio and Dominik Szoboszlai’s red card. There are only slim hopes of Joe Gomez being ready.
🐈⬛ And to add insult to injury, the right-back Liverpool face on Wednesday is the one Slot explicitly wanted in January.…
— BBSportNews (@thebbsportnews) February 9, 2026
“Joe has not trained with us yet,” Slot revealed. “I’m expecting him to train with us today for the first time.”
The Liverpool boss acknowledged that even a partial recovery would not immediately solve the problem, with multiple senior options still missing from the same position.
“If he’s not ready to start, we are missing four people who have played in the position,” Slot added. “But Curtis [Jones] and Wata [Endo] have also played in the position this season, so we’ve had six!”
Szoboszlai’s suspension removes another short-term solution after the midfielder impressed defensively – and spectacularly from a set-piece – against City before his late red card.
Jeremie Frimpong remains sidelined, while Slot had already cast doubt on Gomez’s readiness following Sunday’s game, admitting he would be cautious about rushing players back after layoffs.
Slot dismisses Calvin Ramsay option
One right-back who is available and at the club is Calvin Ramsay, who has featured just once this season, in the EFL Cup. However, Slot was not keen on entertaining the idea of putting the 22-year-old into the side.
“In general, if you don’t win a game, the players who are not playing become the best in the squad,” Slot said. “If the players are not winning, the manager could have always better chosen another one.
“This is an example of that as well. I just want to protect all my players.”
Slot reflects on misfortune and late setbacks
Slot was also asked whether Liverpool’s season has been defined by bad luck, particularly after conceding another late goal at the weekend.
“It feels like that, that’s for sure,” he admitted. “Even if we sign a player and he’s not even playing for us, he gets injured!”
Still, the Dutchman was keen to strike a balanced tone, accepting responsibility while acknowledging the challenges his squad has faced.
“The moment you start to feel it’s all bad luck, it comes to you as well,” Slot said. “We should focus on the performance and what we can do to improve it.”
Liverpool’s repeated late concessions were also addressed, with Slot conceding frustration after trying multiple approaches to protect leads.
“I’ve made defensive substitutions and the ball went in, kept the same players and the ball went in. We’ve tried a lot. I can fairly say that we haven’t been lucky.”
With Sunderland up next, Slot must again decide whether to trust makeshift solutions or gamble on returning players, as Liverpool attempt to stabilise amid a mounting injury list and mounting pressure.