Arne Slot provides candid assessment of Federico Chiesa’s prospects for debuting with Liverpool

Arne Slot has suggested that Federico Chiesa might make his debut this weekend as Liverpool faces Nottingham Forest in their return to Premier League play.

Slot hinted that Chiesa could play his first game for Liverpool this weekend following his transfer from Juventus this summer. The Reds acquired the Italy international just before the transfer window closed for a relatively low fee of $16.4m (£12.5m/€14.8m). However, Chiesa was not part of the squad for the 3-0 victory against Manchester United and watched the match from the stands.

The 26-year-old also missed the international break, even though Italy’s manager Luciano Spalletti indicated he would have included Chiesa in the squad. Instead, Chiesa remained on Merseyside to train with Liverpool’s U21s before rejoining his senior teammates this week.

Chiesa could potentially make his first appearance for Liverpool this weekend, though it is likely he will see action in the coming weeks as Liverpool faces a busy schedule with Champions League and Carabao Cup matches.

Speaking before tomorrow’s game against Nottingham Forest, Slot suggested that Chiesa is ready for his Liverpool debut. “Federico has trained with the team now three or four times, so let’s see how he does today and which decision I make,” Slot said. “We have more than 20 players, so [let’s see] if I choose for a position, or if I choose the ones that are the fittest at the moment.”

Slot also mentioned that Alexis Mac Allister is expected to play tomorrow despite fitness concerns raised during the international break. Although Mac Allister missed training with Argentina last week, he played in both of their matches before returning to Liverpool for training this week.

Harvey Elliott will be absent due to a foot fracture, with the 21-year-old likely out until late October. Curtis Jones might make a return after missing the last two games with a minor injury.

Liverpool.com notes: It would be surprising if Chiesa started ahead of Mohamed Salah this weekend, considering Chiesa has not been with the Reds as long as Salah this season. With a busy fixture schedule ahead, managing player minutes will be crucial.

Salah is known for his reluctance to be substituted, often playing the full 90 minutes. Slot will likely want to keep Salah fresh, so Chiesa might make his debut from the bench tomorrow.