Liverpool manager Arne Slot has said he is unsure whether Cody Gakpo will be back to face Southampton this weekend.
The forward hasn’t started a game for the Reds since 12 February due to an ankle injury he sustained in the 2-2 draw at Everton. Gakpo missed the subsequent matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, but came off the bench in the next two matches against Manchester City and Newcastle United.
With a week off after the win over the Magpies, it was hoped the Dutchman would be in line to start in the midweek trip to Paris Saint-Germain. Instead, he didn’t feature at all and, despite traveling with the squad, wasn’t even named on the substitutes’ bench.
“He was close to being ready to play again, but unfortunately yesterday I think it was, he had to block a shot, so he felt a bit of pain again,” Slot said ahead of the PSG match. “We took him with us to judge how he is tomorrow, if he can be part of the squad, yes or no. But it will be a close call.”
Asked about the 25-year-old’s fitness ahead of Saturday’s game against Southampton, Slot said: “He didn’t train yesterday yet so let’s see if he can train with us today. Close call, it is not a long term injury but he still had a bit of pain yesterday, let’s see where he is today.”
Without Gakpo, Slot started Luis Diaz on the left wing against PSG, an option he could utilize again on Saturday. Diogo Jota is also in contention but, facing the team’s bottom side, there could be a rare starting opportunity for Darwin Nunez or Federico Chiesa in the front three.
Gakpo’s injury is a big blow for Slot. The former PSV Eindhoven man had played in all of the 24 Premier League games this season prior to his injury against Everton, starting 16 of those matches.
Elsewhere, Liverpool will also be without the injured Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez and Tyler for the clash against Southampton.
In general, injuries have not been frequent this season, something Slot is not a coincidence. “If you think injuries are only a part of luck or bad luck then we have been lucky but we believe in the fact that we have tried to prevent them in a certain way of working. I don’t see that as work. Players try to stay fit, great facilities and staff.
“If we can continue doing this for years without many big injuries then it is probably also quality – although you can’t go through a season without injuries. Diogo [Jota], Alisson, Trent [Alexander-Arnold], Joe Gomez, so we also have our injuries. It is more the amount of injuries you hopefully try to prevent.”
