Slot Speaks: Injury Update and Tactical Plans for Forest Clash

Liverpool boss Arne Slot spoke to the media ahead of his team’s eagerly awaited clash with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, providing an update on his squad’s fitness. Unfortunately for Liverpool, there was disappointing news regarding Joe Gomez’s recovery.

“[Gomez is] quite far [from fitness],” Slot said. “He’s definitely not training with the team yet. And Darwin is suspended. Those are the two we will miss tomorrow.”

Gomez, who suffered a muscle injury during last month’s match against West Ham United, still has no confirmed return date, leaving Liverpool light in defense.

Apart from Núñez’s suspension and Gomez’s injury, Slot confirmed that there are no new fitness concerns, though the lingering effects of illness could still be a factor. It’s still unclear whether the illness that sidelined Dominic Szoboszlai for a short period has had a lasting impact, or if it played a role in Jarell Quansah‘s withdrawal during his last start for the club.

Turning attention to Nottingham Forest, Slot anticipates changes in the lineup compared to their previous meeting.

“I watched it back because I wanted to see what we did back then in terms of tactics and what we could do now. I assume, but I’m not sure of course because I don’t make the line-up for Forest, but back then it was already a surprise for us that [Callum] Hudson-Odoi and [Anthony] Elanga weren’t playing,” Slot reflected.

“But they are playing so well now that it would again be a surprise to me if they don’t start now. Back then, they didn’t start and they played more with midfielders in these positions.”

He added, “So, we have to wait and see. We are prepared for both, of course. But that we have to do better than that game, that is clear. And they have still a similar playing style, like we still have the similar playing style. So we have to look into the details [for] what we can do better than that game.”

Both Hudson-Odoi and Elanga will likely exploit the spaces behind Liverpool’s fullbacks, targeting a counter-attacking strategy that has caused trouble for the Reds in previous encounters. As Forest aims for a potential double over Liverpool, the team must be ready to counter these challenges and improve on their previous performances.