It’s been a week of bouncing back for Liverpool after last weekend’s unexpected setback at Fulham. There was excitement brewing at Anfield as Mohamed Salah’s contract extension went from whispers to reality, officially announced on Friday.
Dutch boss Arne Slot echoed the positive vibes in his press conference, hinting that we might soon see Virgil van Dijk pen a fresh two-year stay with the Reds.
On top of those success off the pitch, Liverpool has witnessed strides on the fitness front, with Slot offering hopeful news about two of his squad’s key figures. Brazilian shot-stopper Alisson Becker had to sit out of the last two games due to concussion protocols following an injury picked up during international duty.
Nevertheless, he appears primed to reclaim his spot between the sticks as West Ham gears up for its trip to Anfield this Sunday. Conor Bradley is also in line to start after his own recent injury struggles.
The Northern Ireland prodigy stepped off the bench against Fulham and impressed, setting up Luis Diaz to score. Prior to Sunday’s fixture, Slot shed light on the kind of spark Bradley brings to the team.
“Of course it’s a boost, it’s always a boost when quality players come back,” commented Slot. “Especially quality players in that position, because I think Curtis Jones is a quality player but it’s not his favourite position.
“To have a player in his favourite position is always, not always, but it might be better for the team. And Conor has done so well for us this season, just like Trent [Alexander-Arnold]. But when Trent isn’t there, you always hope to look behind you and see that Conor is available.”
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There were no significant new developments regarding injuries within the Liverpool squad. Key defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are both continuing their spells on the sidelines. Meanwhile, speculation around Alexander-Arnold persists, with Real Madrid reportedly closing in on a free transfer.
Writing in his program notes, Slot sent a message to Liverpool fans: “”As anyone who reads these notes regularly will know, I always like to include a message to our supporters because you are so vital to everything that we do, but today I have two.
“The first is pretty normal and that is we are going to need you to be at your best in the games we have remaining at Anfield this season.
“The atmosphere in our last home fixture was very special, especially in the minutes after Diogo Jota scored the decisive goal. That, of course, was in a Merseyside derby and I have been in football long enough to know that a local rivalry will always bring out the very best in fans.”
