Every word from Arne Slot on Florian Wirtz injury and Jeremie Frimpong 'problem'

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has previewed the Reds' Premier League trip to Wolves, with Florian Wirtz set to miss out and Jeremie Frimpong's fitness needing to be managed

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has been speaking ahead of Tuesday's game(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool will be without Florian Wirtz against Wolves this week, but Jeremie Frimpong could start and Arne Slot is taking nothing for granted in the race for the Champions League places.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Slot gave the latest update on injuries and previewed the first of two visits to Molineux. This is every word that the Liverpool boss had to say in Kirkby ahead of the first of a Wolves double-header.

Florian Wirtz injury latest: "The game probably comes too soon tomorrow and maybe the game at the weekend. We hope to have him back next week."

Frustration over Marc Guehi incident this weekend: "Very comparable. The only difference is that Mo was pulled by the shirt and the Palace one was by the shoulder. I see a similar distance and maybe the distance between Guehi and Dias was even bigger than Palace's two center-backs.

"When I saw it live, I didn't think the VAR would give a red card. This is what I hold against VAR. In both situations, you are expecting VAR interference as the referee didn't give a red card. But only one of those he overturned it.

"For me, either one of the two is a mistake. I wasn't surprised it was a red card because to me, it was a red card for Guehi too. I wasn't backed up by everyone. The panel said the correct decision was made."

Marc Guehi came close to joining Liverpool in the summer(Image: Getty Images)

"There is a frustration because it isn't the first time. I would like to remember the goal disallowed at City before the exact same thing was allowed against Forest. We have to make sure we don't depend on these decisions."

Liverpool's chances of Champions League finish: "So many things have gone against us this season," Slot said. "In terms of performances, only the first half against Nottingham Forest was not of our standards (lately).

"It's changed how entertaining the Premier League is because of playing styles. Two weeks ago, you could say we are not that well placed. Things change really fast. We are really close together with a few teams and things can change every single matchday.

"We focus on our next game, on ourselves. We know every game has been difficult throughout the whole season and that's what we expect now."

Facing Wolves twice in four days: "I don't think we’re in a position to lose focus. No one is at this period of time, everyone is fighting for something, and we are.

"We have to fight really hard in the league to get, in the end, what we want now, and that’s to qualify for the Champions League and there’s an FA Cup to play for. So, the focus will definitely be there.

"The only difference indeed is between playing each other in such short notice is that it’s twice on their ground, where usually when you play in Europe you once have a home and an away game.

Arne Slot speaks at his Liverpool press conference this morning (Image: LFC)

"But it is the situation we are facing now and maybe the only person where it’s helpful for is our analysts and myself, because usually you watch a lot of games from the opponent.

"Now, we’ve done this before this one but before the next one we probably focus mainly on one game and that’s the one of tomorrow. So it saves me a bit of time, maybe, in the upcoming days."

Premier League pivot to set-pieces: "Not everywhere you see that. Not everyone is holding. But it is the new reality of the Premier League, mainly this season, last season a little bit. In some games you see a lot of fouls being made, and in others you see some nice corner kicks being scored."

Managing the minutes of Jeremie Frimpong: "Having Jeremie back is nice, but we have three games in seven days, and you have to take that into account, especially when players come back from injuries.

"We know the importance of every game. It is a challenge for the player, the manager and the performance staff. I prefer to have the problem of managing his minutes, rather than seeing him with the medical staff."

Importance of Cody Gakpo getting back on the scoresheet: "I don't judge the players only on goals they score. Attackers are judged on fact we keep a clean sheet just as defenders are judged on us scoring.

"But I know attackers want to score goals. I was happy as it was the 4-1 so that gave us a more comfortable cushion but even more happy for him to score. He needed that goal.

"I don't think his confidence was gone in that regard, but I did see a few times recently he made a few different decisions that I'm used from him. That doesn't mean lack of confidence. But when players are not scoring, they start to think more, and usually overthinking is not the best thing you can do.

Cody Gakpo celebrates with his Liverpool teammates after scoring against West Ham(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"I think that's something different to confidence. If it's Cody or Mo they know they can have a certain spell without scoring, but they know they'll start scoring again.

"There are periods of time where you don't make much effort and ball keeps falling for you and you score. Other times you can work so hard and you can't score."

Teams being unable to control games: "The Premier League now is all the teams who are playing that have a lot of money and can get very good players at the right age.

"The playing style is hard to control if you face long balls. Eventually that ball if the keeper takes a free kick, it's going to go into your box. It's really hard not to concede a throw-in in your own half or a free-kick within 80 yards of your own box. In the recent past, teams didn't use so much that strategy.

"Being a manager throughout the years, you constantly have to change your approach. But it's hard to find a tactic not to give away a throw-in or a free-kick. Controlling a counter-attack is something you have tools for and that's why I think we've done not that quite well in general."