Arne Slot makes 'difficult' Liverpool injury admission as Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa wait

Arne Slot makes 'difficult' Liverpool injury admission as Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa wait

A number of Liverpool players have been used sparingly since returning from injury in December

Arne Slot interacts with Harvey Elliott of Liverpool as he prepares to enter the pitch during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at Montilivi Stadium on December 10, 2024 (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images )

Arne Slot has admitted it has proven difficult to reintroduce players into his Liverpool starting XI following returns from lengthy injury. The Reds could welcome back both Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley for their clash with Manchester United, having been left without the pair since the end of November.

The defensive duo both returned to training on Friday to help ease Liverpool’s injury woes. Joe Gomez is now the Reds’ only absentee, after Harvey Elliott, Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Kostas Tsimikas all returned to action last month.

‌

However, the outfield quintet have all found minutes hard to come by following their returns, with Elliott the only one of the five to start for Liverpool after recovering from injury.

Liverpool take January transfer decision as Arne Slot considers future plan READ MORE:

And with the Reds’ hectic fixture list ensuring limited time on the training pitch, Slot admitted it has proven to be a challenge to utilise his lesser-used stars more, partly due to the success of his most-used players in their absence.

‌

“I agree with you that it is so difficult to bring players back from an injury of one month, two months into the team,” he said. “Because there is hardly any training time and there is hardly any time to play friendlies.

“So the moment you play them, that is coming from seeing them in 15-20 minutes on a training ground and of course from the experience you have with these players.

“So for the ones that have played a lot under me, it is easier to come back after an injury than the ones that didn’t because the ones that played under me, I know what I can expect from them and I know what they bring to the team.

‌

“With the ones, for example, Harvey, he was injured after two games I think. But he is also in competition with many good midfielders who are doing really well so that makes it hard for him to get playing time at the moment.”

But while a lack of training time might contribute to Liverpool’s returning stars finding it harder to force their way into the Reds’ starting XI, Slot insisted he is not phased by the club’s intense fixture list.

During his time in the Netherlands, the Dutchman enjoyed a winter break in contrast to English football’s busy festive period which saw Liverpool play eight times during December.

‌

But while Slot admits his squad could have benefitted from a break, he pointed out that the quantity of matches each month is also nothing new to his ranks throughout the season.

“I don’t think January or December is more intense than October, November or February,” he said. “The only difference is it keeps adding up, so players never have the moment for a week or two of rest and then start the second half of the season.

“The Eredivisie, all these teams at the moment are training as well after 10 days of holidays. That makes it more tough that there is no break in between, but us playing eight or nine games in a month is something we do during the whole season.

Article continues below

“In the other months, they go to the national teams but they play two games as well. So I don’t think there is a difference with how intense this month is. The only thing is it keeps adding up.”

Click here to read article