Liverpool’s defensive problems have worsened at a critical stage of the season, with another injury setback arriving just as Arne Slot’s side prepares for key Premier League encounters against Newcastle United and Manchester City.
The Reds suffered a fresh blow during their match against Qarabag when summer recruit Jeremie Frimpong was forced off almost as soon as the game began. The Dutch right-back endured a miserable start, pulling up within the opening two minutes and collapsing to the turf.
He received immediate treatment before being escorted down the tunnel, clearly in discomfort, with Wataru Endo brought on in his place — a stark reminder of how stretched Slot’s defensive resources have become.
Fears are growing that Frimpong has sustained another hamstring injury. Should those concerns be confirmed, it would mark a harsh setback in a debut campaign already plagued by two previous hamstring issues.
Slot is now waiting on medical updates, aware that losing Frimpong again would further thin an already fragile back line.
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Liverpool’s right-back situation is especially worrying. Conor Bradley has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following surgery on a serious knee injury involving both ligament and bone damage.
The setback occurred during the recent goalless draw with Arsenal, depriving Slot of one of his most dependable defensive options for the rest of the campaign.
Joe Gomez is also sidelined, compounding the problem. The defender picked up an injury after a collision with goalkeeper Alisson Becker in the first half of Liverpool’s dramatic 3–2 loss to Bournemouth. His absence has forced further defensive reshuffling and highlighted the lack of depth in that area.
Ibrahima Konaté was also unavailable against Qarabag following the passing of his father. With both Konaté and Gomez missing, Slot had little alternative but to deploy midfielder Ryan Gravenberch in central defence alongside Virgil van Dijk, forming an improvised partnership between the two Netherlands internationals.
The injury concerns extend beyond defence. Club-record signing Alexander Isak remains sidelined after undergoing surgery on a fractured fibula and ankle injury suffered against Tottenham shortly before Christmas.
In addition, highly rated teenage defender Giovanni Leoni will not feature again this season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament on his Carabao Cup debut in September.
Despite the mounting absences, Slot made two changes from the Bournemouth defeat for the European fixture. Andy Robertson returned to the starting XI amid speculation linking him with a possible January move to Tottenham, while Hugo Ekitike was also introduced.
Milos Kerkez and Joe Gomez dropped out, and Dominik Szoboszlai was pushed into a deeper midfield role alongside Alexis Mac Allister.
Liverpool made a strong start on the pitch, building a two-goal lead before the interval. Mac Allister broke the deadlock, while Florian Wirtz scored his first Champions League goal for the club. Mohamed Salah added another after the restart as the Reds wrapped up a comfortable victory.
Nevertheless, the focus quickly shifted back to Liverpool’s growing defensive crisis. With demanding league fixtures against Newcastle and Manchester City on the horizon, Slot faces an urgent challenge to steady his back line as the Reds chase a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the Champions League round of 16.
