DEVASTATING NEWS: Coming live from Anfield, These Liverpool players will not play against Ipswich in the opening Premier League game.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces his first competitive challenge as he leads the Reds into their Premier League opener against newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday. Slot is fortunate to have almost a full squad available, a situation that will likely boost his confidence ahead of the season’s kickoff.
Slot’s reputation for maintaining player fitness during his time at Feyenoord has evidently been brought to Liverpool, where he has implemented a similar approach. Liverpool’s pre-season preparations featured six friendly matches, including a behind-closed-doors encounter with Preston at the AXA Training Centre. This comprehensive preparation seems to have paid off, as the squad is largely fit with only a few players unavailable for the Ipswich match.
The two absentees include Jayden Danns, who is out with a back problem, and Bobby Clark, who is nearing a transfer to Salzburg. Neither player was expected to play a significant role in the match, as Slot has concentrated on ensuring the senior squad is in peak condition. Young prospects such as Ben Doak, Owen Beck, Harvey Blair, and Kaide Gordon, who were integrated into the first team during the pre-season, have since returned to the U21 squad.
On Thursday, Slot addressed both the first team and the U21 squad together at the AXA Training Centre before they separated for final preparations. Only Harvey Davies and Trey Nyoni stayed with the senior squad, highlighting Slot’s careful approach to incorporating young academy talents into the first team.
With 28 players training but only 20 spots available on the matchday roster, Slot will face difficult choices in finalizing his squad. Davies is expected to be among those left out, along with Vitezslav Jaros, Nat Phillips, Sepp van den Berg, Tyler Morton, and Stefan Bajcetic.
As for the starting eleven, it is likely to mirror the formations and combinations tested during pre-season. Ryan Gravenberch is anticipated to start in the defensive midfield role, while Kostas Tsimikas and Jarell Quansah may be preferred over Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate in defense. Up front, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz are expected to line up alongside Mohamed Salah, with Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez still working to regain full match fitness.
As the season unfolds, Slotβs team selections may shift depending on form and fitness, but his immediate focus will be on securing a strong start to the campaign while minimizing the risk of injuries.
