Arne Slot issues mixed Jeremie Frimpong injury update in latest Liverpool blow

Liverpool romped to a 6-0 win against Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday but the game was blighted by an injury to Jeremie Frimpong, worsening their crisis in defence

Arne Slot has confirmed that Jeremie Frimpong will be out for ‘a few weeks’ – but the Liverpool star’s injury isn’t as bad as first feared. Frimpong, 25, was forced off in the first half of Wednesday’s 6-0 victory over Qarabag in the Champions League.

Liverpool were already light on defenders, with Ryan Gravenberch playing as a makeshift centre-back. But there’s good news ahead of Saturday’s home game against Newcastle on Saturday.

Asked to provide an update on Frimpong, Slot told a pre-match press conference: “He will definitely not be in the squad for tomorrow. He’s out for a few weeks, but not as bad as we thought he would be out. So something positive from something not so positive.”

In more positive news, both Ibrahima Konate and Curtis Jones will be involved. Defender Konate has missed Liverpool’s last three games following the death of his father.

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“Ibou trained with us yesterday, trains with us today and will be in the squad tomorrow,” Slot revealed. “Curtis is again available. He was sick as I said, but he is available.

“Joe [Gomez] will not be available, but that doesn’t have to take much longer anymore. But he will not be available for the weekend.”

As for Alexander Isak’s recovery from a broken leg, Slot added: “He’s not even on the pitch yet. He’s just out of his walker. That tells you that he’s not on the pitch yet and are not expecting him out on the pitch today or tomorrow. In terms of his recovery work, it’s going to take a while, as we knew.”

The Reds boss also revealed that Jayden Danns has suffered a setback. “He’d have definitely been in the squad but unfortunately, he isn’t. We don’t expect him back today or tomorrow as well,” Slot explained.

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“He’s been very unlucky in his career until now. The good thing about him is that he has a great mentality, so he’s always fighting himself back after setbacks. Unfortunately, he’s had quite a lot because this would have been a great moment for him with Alexander Isak being out.

“He would have been able to help us out in certain moments but unfortunately for him, and for us, he has faced a lot of injuries in his career until now. The good thing about him is that he will fight back and come back and the world will get to know him the moment he’s fit again.”

On Stefan Bajcetic’s absence, Slot confirmed: “He’s not training yet. So, he constantly gets close to the team and then he has a little setback and then comes close and has a little setback, so we’re hoping and expecting to have him very soon, again.

“But at that moment of time he trains with us again, then he’s been out for six, seven, eight months [with] no first-team training. So, as much as I’d like to have him back, we have to manage the expectations with him as well.”

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