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RIGHT-BACK REINFORCEMENTS: WILL CONOR BRADLEY AND JEREMIE FRIMPONG BOTH RETURN FOR SPURS CLASH

Liverpool’s right-back rotation reaches a turning point. We ask: Will Jeremie Frimpong finally justify his £29m price tag?

Right-Back Reinforcements: Will  Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong Both Return for Spurs Clash
Can Slot’s New Midfield Shape Unlock Jeremie Frimpong

Liverpool could have both Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong back when they play Tottenham Hotspur.

Right-back has been a tough spot for Liverpool this season. Already, six players have filled that role in the Premier League before we're even halfway through the year.

This inconsistency at fullback is one reason why Liverpool's title hopes faded so quickly. But for the game against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, Arne Slot might have his usual right-back options ready.

Conor Bradley returns after missing a game due to yellow card accumulation. This season has been stop-start for him, which has made it harder to take over from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Bradley's had two injuries, so his playing time has been carefully managed.

Jeremie Frimpong, who was signed to replace Alexander-Arnold, has also had a rough beginning. He came from Bayer Leverkusen for £29 million, but two hamstring injuries have limited him to just nine games. He's been out for almost two months since getting hurt in the 5-1 Champions League win against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Slot said Frimpong might be back in training this week. With Liverpool missing some key players for the Tottenham game, Frimpong could be on the bench if he stays healthy.

Liverpool will be without their main wingers against Tottenham. Mo Salah is with Egypt at the African Cup of Nations, and Cody Gakpo is hurt.

Slot has changed his system recently, so even if they were fit, they might not have started. He's moved away from his usual 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-4-2 diamond. This has led to a five-game unbeaten run and moved Liverpool up to seventh in the league.

Using four midfielders—Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, and Alexis Mac Allister—has provided more stability and control in the middle of the field. It also allows Florian Wirtz to move into space on the left.

This diamond system could help Bradley do well if he starts against Spurs, as many expect. With Liverpool controlling the middle, there's more space on the wings for the full-backs. Even though he's not a natural attacker, Gomez was getting forward against Brighton. He was high up the pitch when he headed the ball to assist Hugo Ekitike's first-minute goal. He also got to the byline and passed back to Ekitike, who shot over the bar.

Since Bradley is a more attacking right-back, he should benefit, especially with Gravenberch or Jones offering defensive support in front of the centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

When Bradley came off the bench against Inter Milan in the Champions League, he showed glimpses of what he can do. He brought energy and enthusiasm and even had a shot saved in his 22-minute appearance.

When Frimpong is back, he should also benefit from the new setup. At Leverkusen, he often played as a wing-back, scoring 30 goals and assisting 44 times in 190 games. His crosses could help Alexander Isak get his Liverpool career going after a slow start with only one league goal.

On the left, Milos Kerkez has been improving. After signing from AFC Bournemouth for £40 million, he looked uncomfortable at first. But a few solid performances have boosted his confidence. Hopefully, he'll start showing the attacking skills that earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

BREAKING: CURTIS JONES REVEALS MO SALAH’S PRIVATE LOCKER ROOM APOLOGY AFTER EXPLOSIVE OUTBURST

Curtis Jones confirms Mo Salah apologised to the Liverpool locker room after his "thrown under the bus" rant. Get the full story.

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What Mo Salah Really Said To The Liverpool Squad

Curtis Jones says Mo Salah apologised to the Liverpool locker room after that fiery interview earlier this month. The Reds midfielder says the team's all good with the Egypt forward, even though he ripped into the club, saying they threw him under the bus after the tough draw with Leeds.

Flashback: Salah's Interview After Leeds Game

After starting on the bench for the third time in a row in that 3-3 draw with Leeds, Salah didn't hold back. He felt like someone was trying to pin the blame on him and said things were rocky with the manager, Arne Slot.

He said, “I can’t believe it; I’m very, very bummed. I’ve done a lot for this club, especially last season.

“I was promised stuff over the summer, and now I’m benched for three games. They’re not keeping their word. I used to get along with the manager, but now we don’t.

“I’m not sure why, but it feels like someone doesn’t want me here.”

Slot Says It's All Good Now

But after sitting out the Inter Milan game in the Champions League (which they won 1-0), Salah was back for the 2-0 win against Brighton last Saturday.

He came on for the injured Joe Gomez and even set up Hugo Ekitike's goal.

Slot downplayed the situation, saying there's nothing to sort out and it was an easy call to sub Salah in against Brighton.

With Salah now with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, Slot says everyone's moved on from the interview.

Jones: Salah Cleared the Air

Like his manager, Jones says there are no hard feelings towards Salah. He says Salah owned up to it in the locker room.

Jones told Sky Sports, “Mo’s his own man. He said sorry to us, like, 'If I bugged anyone or made you feel bad, I'm sorry.' That’s just him.

“He was cool with everyone, same old Mo. Big smile, and everyone was the same with him. It’s just because he wants to win, and he won’t be the last guy to get heated.

“If a dude’s just okay with being benched and doesn’t want to play and help, that's a bigger deal.

“Any anger we’ve had, including me, comes from a good place. It might not come out right, but it’s never about hurting the team, staff, manager, or anyone. We’re over it, getting along, playing well and winning.”

Jones: Team's Still Behind Salah

Jones got emotional himself after that 4-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven on November 26, calling Liverpool’s performance not good enough and saying he was past being angry.

“I’m a Scouser, so I get how much it means to the city, fans, club, and staff,” Jones said. It's probably the first time I've been in a spot like this. I spoke up because I was honest. I say what I think, and sometimes it bugs people.

I was angry and shocked. But the lads were great. They didn’t blame Mo, the manager, or each other. Everyone took responsibility.

“So, the fans and the Mo stuff haven’t messed us up. We just need to win, but nobody’s pointing fingers. That’s what matters.”

Up Next: Liverpool at Tottenham (Without Salah)

Jones wants to help Liverpool grab those three points when they play Tottenham on Saturday night. Since his post-PSV comments, the local lad has helped his team go five games without a loss in all competitions.

Salah is set to start for Egypt against Zimbabwe next Monday in their AFCON opener. They also play South Africa on Boxing Day and Angola on December 29 in Group B, with the tournament in Morocco.

LIVERPOOL NEWS: ALEXANDER ISAK REJECTS “WORST SLUMP” CLAIMS AFTER HISTORIC SWEDISH AWARD WIN

Alexander Isak addresses his acrimonious Newcastle exit and groin injury as he prepares for Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham.

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Alexander Isak Vows to End Liverpool Slump

Alexander Isak says he's going to fight to get back to the form that made Liverpool drop £125m on him back in September. The British transfer fee record-breaker is adamant that he's not in the worst slump of his career.

Isak came to Merseyside after a summer-long drama. He skipped Newcastle United's pre-season tour and trained alone at his old club, Real Sociedad, without Eddie Howe's OK.

Because of the messy exit from Newcastle, the No. 9 didn't get any preseason action. So, he wasn't in top shape when he made his big move to Anfield on deadline day.

The 26-year-old also had a groin injury in October that kept him out for a month. He's only scored one Premier League goal for Liverpool so far, in the 2-0 win against West Ham United in late November. Right now, he doesn't look like the same player he was at Newcastle, where he scored 23 goals last season.

Isak won the 2025 Swedish Golden Ball for his play for club and country this past year. In an interview, he said he's ready to battle back to the level that made him one of the Premier League's most feared strikers before his transfer.

"[Liverpool's interest] was the most interesting thing for me," Isak said. I knew pretty early this was where I wanted to be because of the club's history, where it is now, and where it's going.

"I don't really know why it's been slow," Isak said. Of course, it has been slow for the team. But that's football. Some teams are hot; others are not. We have to turn things around. I've been through rough patches before, and you just have to fight through them.

Isak added, I'm not sure what period has been the hardest. It's all experience, good and bad. I’ve had tougher times in every team I've been on, except for the loan in Holland (Willem II). Dortmund, Spain, Newcastle, and here. I don't focus on which place was the toughest. I see them as experiences that will make me a better person and player.

We football players live differently. We don't think too much about it. I don't judge things too much during the season, even when things are going well. You should evaluate after the season. There's no point in overthinking during.

I want to be able to look back and be proud of what I did. Not just on the field, but the experiences from playing in different countries.

Isak might start when Liverpool plays Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Reds will be trying to stay unbeaten for the sixth straight game.

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