Ryan Gravenberch can’t say enough good things about playing with Florian Wirtz. The German midfielder has been on fire lately, showing exactly why Liverpool paid $157 million to bring him over from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

Wirtz always had talent, but lately, you can see he’s stronger and much more comfortable with the pace and pressure of the Premier League. He’s already chalked up six goals and eight assists for the Reds.

“You just see how good he is,” Gravenberch said before Liverpool’s trip to Nottingham Forest this weekend. “He needed a little time to settle in, but now he’s showing what he can do, scoring, setting up goals, and creating chances for everyone around him.”

Gravenberch loves having Wirtz in the team. He calls him a special player, someone who turns games on their head. “You give him the ball, and he makes things happen. Not many midfielders can do that. We work well together, both young, always talking. On the pitch, I’m always looking to find him when I’ve got the ball.”

When it comes to his own inspiration, Gravenberch looked to Zinedine Zidane, even though the French legend retired when he was only four. “I picked up so much just from watching clips of Zidane,” he said. “He played with so much confidence and calm. I love turning in midfield, he did that too, so I try to learn from him and take the good things, but I always want to put my own spin on it.”

Since Arne Slot arrived at Liverpool, Gravenberch has really made the number six role his own. His sharp turns and quick moves help him shake off defenders at Anfield time and time again.

With Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister alongside him and his contract running until 2028, Liverpool will have to start thinking about keeping this midfield together for even longer.

Arne Slot didn’t hold back in his latest press conference. He gave Liverpool fans a full rundown on the injury front before the team heads to Nottingham Forest. With the season getting serious and every point starting to matter more, these updates hit a little harder.

Lately, Liverpool’s defence has looked like a patchwork job. Midfielders filling in at the back, everyone shifting around. Slot talked through all of it, focusing on Jeremie Frimpong, Alexander Isak, Joe Gomez, and Wataru Endo.

First, Frimpong’s still not ready. “Jeremie will not be involved this weekend. We hope he will be involved next week if things go as planned,” Slot said. So, if things go right, he’s not far off, but Forest comes too soon.

Endo’s news stings more. “Wata will be out for a long time. We don’t know exactly how long.” That’s a blow; he’s left a gap in midfield, and now the team has to get creative with the lineup in the middle of a busy stretch.

Now, some good news. Joe Gomez is back. Slot sounded confident: “I think Joe is ready to start [against Forest]. Yes, he is.” After weeks of watching midfielders juggle defensive duties, fans will breathe easier seeing Gomez back in his natural spot.

Since January, guys like Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have played at right back. It shows Liverpool’s flexibility, sure, but also the toll these injuries have taken. Getting Gomez back isn’t just about plugging a hole. It brings balance. He knows what he’s doing, and that experience matters as the pressure ramps up.

Slot kept praising the players who’ve stepped up, and honestly, they deserve it. But having a real defender back just settles things. It lets everyone else get back to what they do best.

On Alexander Isak, Slot laid out the timeline. “Alex has been on the [training] pitch with his running shoes for the first time this week, so it will still be a while… It will be somewhere around the international break. That depends on whether he has a setback. It’ll be the end of March, start of April when he’s back with the group, but it doesn’t mean he’s ready to start playing straight away.” There’s no rush. Everyone knows how important Isak is, especially after joining with so much expectation. For now, Hugo Ekitike has stepped up front, but as the fixture list gets packed, the team can’t afford to push anyone too hard.

So what’s the big picture? It’s a bit of a mixed bag. Gomez is back, which helps. Frimpong is almost there. Endo’s out for a while, and Isak’s still working his way back. If Liverpool can get through these next few games without more injuries, they’ll start getting key players back just as the season hits its peak. That could make all the difference.