© IMAGO – Arne Slot Slotpocalypse
Liverpool are heading into a nightmare scenario after Arne Slot confirmed a new injury. The Reds will struggle to get out of this.
Liverpool struggled to defeat against Chelsea on Saturday evening. It wasn’t a good performance and while it was an away fixture against a top side, the hosts were missing several key players.
Article continues under the video
In fact, by the end of the match, Enzo Maresca’s men were down to their eight-choice centre-back. Cole Plamer was missing, too, while they’re without Liam Delap for the foreseeable future.
It was a fantastic opportunity for Liverpool, then, and one they wasted with another subpar performance. But perhaps more worryingly is what came afterwards.
Arne Slot had taken Ibrahima Konate off in the second half and moved Ryan Gravenberch to centre-back. It initially looked like a tactical change but the boss confirmed after the game that Konate was injured.
“It was to do with fitness. He felt his quad a little bit,” Slot said of the substitution. He then went on to say it might not be a major injury because they got him off fast enough.
Let’s hope so – because this will turn into a nightmare scenario if not.
Liverpool repeat history
Go back to 2020/21 and Liverpool had just won the Premier League title. They then suffered horrendously with injuries at centre-back, costing them any chance of competing.
Giovanni Leoni’s injury puts Liverpool on the brink of something similar. Of course, they do have three centre-back options even without the Italian but Konate being out would drop that to two.
And both of those players, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, have had serious long-term injuries in the past. It’s an incredibly delicate situation and one that would put Liverpool’s season at risk.
That’s why signing a centre-back in January is an absolute necessity. Now, Liverpool won’t want to say that themselves – they’ll both back their defenders and keep their cards close to their chest – but it simply must happen.
It won’t matter how well the forwards click into gear if everything falls apart at the back. Even without the injuries, things don’t look right, but Konate being out would put so much strain on this squad that we’re not sure it could cope.
Something will have to happen.
🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas home range
👉🏻 Liverpool have a NEW right-back and he’s the best in the world
👉🏻 Marc Guehi is COMING: Liverpool will agree deal to sign England star
👉🏻 Liverpool legend’s son is now an elite centre-back
