‘Didn’t Look Great’—Arne Slot Delivers Worrying Update on Liverpool Star

Slot ruled one player out of next weekend’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur.

Arne Slot cannot catch a break. / Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images

Liverpool manager Arne Slot revealed that the ankle injury sustained by Dominik Szoboszlai on Saturday afternoon “didn’t look great” in a deeply concerning update for the team’s undisputed star player this season.

During a campaign of strife for the Premier League champions, emphatically on and off the pitch, Szoboszlai has served as the one point of consistency. Wherever the all-action Hungarian has been required, he has carried out everything asked of him and more.

Despite spending much of his time at right back, Szoboszlai boasts the most shots on target of any Liverpool player in the Premier League this season. The natural midfielder also leads the squad in progressive passes, crosses and tackles.

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Szoboszlai’s versatility was on full display once again this weekend. Starting the match against Brighton in place of Mohamed Salah on Liverpool’s right wing, the 25-year-old effortlessly dropped back into defence when Joe Gomez could no longer continue. Unfortunately for Slot and anyone of a Liverpool persuasion, Szoboszlai would also be forced off.

Dominik Szoboszlai was in the wars against Brighton. / Paul ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images

The durable midfielder first went down in the 70th minute after a collision. Following a spell of medical treatment, Szoboszlai was able to battle through another 10 minutes before eventually limping off.

“Dom, it was his ankle,” Slot confirmed immediately after the 2–0 win. “It didn’t look great when I just saw him.”

Further tests will undoubtedly be conducted but the Dutch boss wasn’t all doom and gloom. “He has unbelievable mentality so let’s hope for the best,”

Slot has started Szoboszlai in all 22 of Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League fixtures this season, using the versatile outlet in six different positions. A bout of illness was all that could keep the Hungary international sidelined last season, while it’s been almost two years since his most recent muscle injury.

There is every chance that Liverpool’s warrior will battle his way back into contention for the club’s next outing—which is a trip to Tottenham Hotspur next Saturday—but there was at least one player added to the club’s injury list.

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Slot Gives Minimum Recovery Time for Joe Gomez

Joe Gomez has a horrific injury record. / Marco Canoniero/LightRocket/Getty Images

If Szoboszlai’s recent injury record is practically spotless, there are few more dubious than the one that belongs to Joe Gomez.

Liverpool’s affable defender missed 28 games last season with two serious hamstring issues, prompting Slot to treat his re-integration into the squad in recent weeks with extreme caution. However, a combination of Gomez’s impressive form and Conor Bradley’s absences tempted the Dutch boss to hand his England full back four starts in the space of two weeks. There were not yet 25 minutes on the clock before his body broke down against Brighton.

“If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe, that’s normally not a positive thing,” Slot mused postgame. “I would not expect him to be in the squad next week.”

Bradley will be back for the trip to Tottenham after serving his one-match suspension against the Seagulls. With Gomez joining Jeremie Frimpong on the sidelines and Szoboszlai also potentially out of action, the Northern Ireland international may very well be Liverpool’s only option at right back next weekend.

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