It’s been an unusual December for Arne Slot, but Liverpool’s return to league action brings hope with key players on the verge of a comeback.
Ahead of the Fulham clash, Slot addressed the availability of Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa, saying:
“I think they are [available]. We have one training session left. Federico has been out for a long time and was ill last week, so we’ll have to assess his recovery.
Diogo may be in the squad, and possibly Federico too, depending on the numbers and his condition after the illness.”
On Chiesa’s situation, Slot added:
“The challenge is the number of games we play. He needs minutes to regain match fitness, but after five or six months out, it’s difficult to give those without knowing exactly what to expect.
Ideally, he’d play in a friendly or an U21 match, but our schedule doesn’t allow that. Maybe the Southampton game could be a good opportunity for him to get some minutes.”
Slot emphasized the difficulty of integrating players like Chiesa during a packed schedule, adding:
“Training isn’t the same as match fitness. We’d ideally give him time in games where we’re leading comfortably, but those have been rare this season. For now, it’s about carefully managing his return.”
The potential return of Jota and Chiesa offers a significant boost to Liverpool’s attacking options. Both players’ presence in training is encouraging, and Chiesa has already shown glimpses of readiness with his goal for the U21s.
However, Slot remains cautious about rushing their comeback to avoid further setbacks.
The prospect of having six attacking options again is a welcome relief for Liverpool, but careful management will be crucial to ensure their long-term availability.
