Liverpool dealt early blow as Jeremie Frimpong sidelined with hamstring injury
Liverpool’s new right-back Jeremie Frimpong has been ruled out until after the international break with a hamstring injury, just days after making his Premier League debut.
The 24-year-old was forced off in Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Bournemouth last week, with Reds head coach Arne Slot confirming that the medical staff didn’t want to take any chances.
“I think I got criticised for taking him off, didn’t I?” Slot laughed
“I think I got criticised for taking him off, didn’t I?” Slot laughed in his pre-match press conference on Thursday. “It had nothing to do with how he played, but we felt he had an issue with his hamstring and by we, I mean the medical staff. It was a good call to take him off. We expect to have him back after the international break.”
That break runs from September 1-9, meaning Frimpong will miss two huge fixtures, away at Newcastle United on Monday and at home against Arsenal the following Sunday. Liverpool’s next game after the pause will be Burnley at Turf Moor on September 14.
Frimpong arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in May for £29.5m
The timing isn’t ideal for Slot, who is already short on options at right-back. Frimpong arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in May for £29.5m, stepping in as the replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold following his big move to Real Madrid.
But now, depth is an issue. Northern Ireland international Conor Bradley only just returned to first-team training on Thursday, while Joe Gomez, who has battled long injury lay-offs in the past, has also been struggling for fitness.
“Jeremie [Frimpong] has a very positive injury record. Conor [Bradley] was out once or twice last season. These things happen,” Slot explained. “At the moment, we only have two injuries, but unfortunately it is two in the same position. The good thing is we have other players that can play there. Wataru Endo played there, Dominik Szoboszlai also.
“Joe Gomez is definitely one of them, but for him to already play 20 minutes, that is already quite a lot. He is training with the team, so let’s see where he is and if he can be involved on Monday. You cannot prepare for two injuries in one position.”
For now, Liverpool fans will have to wait until mid-September to see Frimpong back in action, and Slot will need to get creative to cover that right flank in the meantime.
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