International Liverpool defender battling 'knock' ahead of Leeds United trip but star expected back vs Whites
Arne Slot takes his Liverpool side to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Saturday in a teatime kick-off.
Boss Arne Slot has provided his Liverpool team news for Saturday evening’s clash against Leeds United at Elland Road with details of a defender’s knock but star’s expected return.
Liverpool’s Northern Ireland international right-back Conor Bradley picked up a muscular injury whilst on international duty in November and the defender has since missed his side’s last three games.
Slot, though, said ahead of Wednesday night’s hosting of Sunderland that Bradley had trained for the first time since suffering his injury on Monday and that he was hoping to have the 22-year-old back available to face Leeds.
Speaking at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Slot confirmed that Bradley was likely to be back in the mix to face the Whites but also revealed that England-capped defender Joe Gomez had been dealing with the effects of a knock.
Slot, though, thinks that both Gomez and Bradley will train on Friday ahead of Saturday’s trip to Leeds.
"He couldn't make the full 90 minutes”
Asked about team news, if he expected Bradley to be back and if everyone had got through the Sunderland game okay, Slot said: "Yeah they did. Joe Gomez got a knock in the West Ham game but was still able to start (against Sunderland).
"He couldn't make the full 90 minutes but I think he will be able to train again today.
"Yesterday was a recovery day for most of them, today we will train again and let's see where they are.
"But Conor Bradley has trained this week so I expect him to train today and then he is available to be in the squad tomorrow."
Slot was also still without £29.5m summer full-back signing Jeremie Frimpong for the midweek clash against Sunderland, the defender still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in October’s Champions League victory against Eintracht Frankfurt. Slot said on Tuesday that he expected Frimpong to return to training next week.
Young defender Giovanni Leoni is a longer term absentee, the £26m summer signing having suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on his Reds debut in September’s Carabao Cup clash against Southampton. Leoni is looking at a year out.
Young Reds pair Stefan Bajcetic and Jayden Danns also remain sidelined with hamstring injuries.