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After three straight defeats, it felt like the international break came at a good time for Liverpool. As the Reds begin to report back to Merseyside though, Arne Slot’s nightmare might just be starting.
Having fallen behind Arsenal in the early stages of the Premier League title race, the Liverpool boss will be desperate to get back to winning ways against Manchester United on Sunday.
This is uncharted territory for Slot, for whom, up until a couple of weeks ago, everything he touched seemed to turn to gold. The pressure is on for him to find a way for the Reds’ expensive new side to gel together - but injuries are making that job a lot harder.
Already without Giovanni Leoni for the rest of the season, and Alisson Becker looking set to miss at least a few more games, now the Liverpool boss faces a nervous wait to find out the full extent of problems for three more of his players.
Ibrahima Konate’s early return from the French squad certainly wasn’t too promising a sign, and neither was Ryan Gravenberch coming off at half-time of the Netherlands’ win over Finland on Sunday.
The pair would be a big miss for Liverpool if they had to sit out the United game, but with doubts over Wataru Endo as well, there is a bigger problem emerging.
If Konate is out, then that would mean Joe Gomez stepping in alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defense. If either of them pick up an injury, then what?
Slot had named Gravenberch and Endo as possible alternatives to step into the back four, but if they’re also out of the picture, then Liverpool will be in a situation that Jamie Carragher has feared since the summer.
Speaking about the Reds’ failure to sign Marc Guehi, the former defender said on Stick to Football: "Liverpool always do what they see in their eyes as value for money.
"Might they regret that? Oh yeah, I think there's one situation with Liverpool, that's the one area... listen, they are three games in, nine points from nine, and probably not played that well, so we would probably all say they are big favorites, Liverpool.
"But that is the one area where that could come back and blow up in their face because they haven't really got that (cover).
"What Guehi was getting was giving Liverpool competition at centre-back. They haven't really got that. They've got two starters and two understudies.
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"Joe Gomez, injury-prone himself, and the young lad from Italy (Leoni), he is going to be a great prospect, but if you think if one of them had to play for a couple of months, it is a big difference."
Slot and Liverpool will hope that Konate’s injury doesn’t lead to Gomez having to be relied upon for that long. If the last few years are anything to go by, it would be a big risk if the England international has to stay injury-free until at least January.
It’s a prospect that would be made all the scarier if Gravenberch and Endo can’t even be called upon as back-ups. Beyond them, Liverpool would likely have to call upon one of Andy Robertson or Conor Bradley to fill in, or call up some of the academy’s players.
Slot and his team will be keeping their fingers crossed for some good news on Konate, Gravenberch and Endo before Sunday’s game. Liverpool could really do with something going its way at the moment.
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