ARNE SLOT CONFIRMS SALAH & GOMEZ FITNESS DOUBT AHEAD OF HIGH STAKES BRIGHTON TRIP
Arne Slot confirms Mohamed Salah will miss the Brighton game with a muscle injury while dismissing Liverpool contract talks.
Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot, recently spoke with the media ahead of their match against Brighton, sharing updates on Mohamed Salah, his own contract situation, and what to expect from the upcoming game on the south coast.
Regarding Salah’s injury, Slot described it as unusual and obviously means Salah won’t be available for the match. However, the timing isn’t terrible since there’s an international break coming up. Sadly, that also means Salah can’t join the Egypt squad during that period. Slot expressed hope that Salah, known for taking excellent care of his body, might recover faster than usual. Historically, the player has bounced back sooner than others might in similar cases. The team will reassess after the two weeks of the break to see if he can return.
Joe Gomez was on the bench but didn’t get to play because he wasn’t feeling right, even before the game started. Slot mentioned trying to hold off during the game in case he was needed in extra time, but ultimately, Gomez wasn’t ready to start or come on.
When the topic shifted to whether Slot was considering a new contract, he seemed surprised and quickly redirected the conversation back to the team’s immediate challenges. He pointed out that the team has been winning more often in recent months than some realise and that his current focus is firmly on Brighton and the rest of the season, especially as Liverpool has reached the Champions League quarter-final but needs to improve their league standing. Slot emphasised the season will be a fight to the end and confirmed discussions about contracts, particularly his own, weren’t happening.
Looking ahead to the Brighton game, Slot expects it to be an intense and attractive match because Brighton always tries to play an active, possession-based style. This makes preparation tougher since Liverpool only has about 62 hours of rest after a physically demanding midweek match. He raised concerns about some key players, like Jeremie Frimpong, who’s prone to injuries when matches come quickly, and now with Gomez out, there are tough decisions to make. Slot described Brighton as a team that doesn’t shy away from intensity and is ready to match Liverpool’s pace, making the upcoming fixture exciting but challenging.
On Liverpool’s struggles to score in the first half, Slot acknowledged the issue but wasn’t satisfied with just dividing the problem into halves. He said the team creates plenty of chances and should be scoring more, given the quality of their offence overall. More importantly, he stressed the team must be prepared mentally and physically from the start. That means handling the emotional and physical strain of recent tough matches and facing a Brighton side that will come at them aggressively in a midday kick-off.
Speaking of the 12:30 pm kick-off times, Slot doesn’t mind them much. He noted that training often happens around that time anyway, so the actual kickoff isn’t strange for the players. However, backing up from a demanding schedule with limited rest between fixtures is not ideal, especially when looking for peak performance. He implied that while the time itself isn’t a problem, having such a tight turnaround after intense games isn’t something a manager would choose if they could avoid it.
Finally, on the question of whether Dominik Szoboszlai might be played at right-back again, Slot was quite clear: Szoboszlai is fundamentally a midfielder. When he’s deployed elsewhere, it’s usually because of squad limitations rather than a tactical experiment. If there are fit and available fullbacks, Szoboszlai will play in midfield where he belongs. Slot also pointed out the risks involved in playing him out of position, especially if a natural full-back is fit enough to take the spot. He acknowledged Szoboszlai’s versatility but emphasised that the best Liverpool team is with him in midfield. In cases where many players are unavailable, the decision to move Szoboszlai to full-back is a pragmatic one, though not the ideal setup.
In sum, Slot’s remarks highlight how injuries continue to shape Liverpool’s options, the realistic challenges of fixture congestion, and a focus on steady progress rather than contract talks or distractions. The upcoming match against Brighton promises to test the squad’s physical and mental resilience, but Slot seems determined to navigate those hurdles with clear priorities.
ALISSON "OPEN" TO LIVERPOOL EXIT AS JUVENTUS PREPARE MASSIVE SWAP DEAL OFFER
With Alisson Becker open to a Juventus move, Liverpool is scouring the market for a replacement ahead of a major summer rebuild.
Liverpool isn’t just sitting around; it’s actively searching for someone to take Alisson Becker’s spot since Juventus looks serious about making a bid for their veteran keeper. Even though Alisson’s got a year left on his deal after the club triggered an extension back in March, he might leave this summer.
He’s been Liverpool’s go-to guy in goal since he arrived from Roma in 2018; he’s played 332 games, cost £67 million, and for years, he was untouchable. But injuries have piled up during the 2025/26 season, and it’s starting to look like his time at Anfield could be coming to an end.
Juventus are now right in the mix. Apparently, Alisson isn’t against the idea of leaving Liverpool, and Juventus could even throw their own goalkeeper, Michele Di Gregorio, into the deal for the Brazilian.
Juve are ready to offer Alisson a contract running through the summer of 2028, with an extra year as an option. Sky Sports says Liverpool already knows what’s happening and is getting their ducks in a row before a massive transfer window.
The club’s facing a big summer. Salah and Robertson are going, and now they might need a new keeper too. Giorgi Mamardashvili has stepped up when Alisson was out, playing 18 games across all competitions, but he’s injured himself, leaving Slot with just Freddie Woodman as his only fit option.
Recently, Slot was asked if losing Alisson at the same time as Robertson and Salah would be too much. He said, “The club makes decisions it thinks are right. If this happens, there's a reason behind it, maybe another good reason why we did what we did.”
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t make transfers on a whim. Decisions are thought through, with the club’s interests always at heart.
Regarding keeping Alisson for his experience, Slot admitted that’s one argument, but there are others and, ultimately, the club will decide what’s best. Alisson’s contract still has a year left.
When pressed about Juventus, Slot replied, “Ali’s main focus is clear; he wants to get back in goal for Liverpool as soon as possible and then play for Brazil. That’s his short- and mid-term future.”
LIVERPOOL WARNED TO OFFER CURTIS JONES NEW CONTRACT BEFORE 14-MONTH DEADLINE
Analysis: Curtis Jones’ elite passing stats and why Jermaine Pennant believes Liverpool cannot afford to lose the versatile midfielder.
Liverpool really needs to sort out a new contract for Curtis Jones before they make the same mistake it did with Luis Diaz. That’s what the Inside Liverpool panel thinks, especially now that Diaz is lighting up Bayern Munich and making Liverpool’s transfer moves look pretty questionable.
Bayern’s front three, with Diaz in the mix, have racked up 100 goals across all competitions this season – the first time any non-Spanish team has done that. Diaz himself has bagged 26 goals in 46 matches and just scored against PSG in the Champions League semi-final.
Looking back, Liverpool probably wish they hadn’t let Diaz walk for £65 million last summer. Since then, fans at Anfield haven’t seen anyone who brings what he did: that relentless pressing, always looming as a threat on the counter. Sure, they’ve brought in Rio Ngumoha, a teenager, just 17, but Arne Slot, the coach, knows you can’t just expect him to fill those shoes right away.
On talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool, Jermaine Pennant, who has played for the club, said that Liverpool has to bring in another proven attacker over the summer. Pennant’s point: Diaz was great whether he played in the middle or on the left, and Liverpool needs someone with that kind of flexibility. You don’t want to sign a backup like Hugo Ekitike and then end up overcrowding with too many strikers when the main guy returns.
Now, Jones could end up in the same boat this summer. There’s a lot of uncertainty around his future, and when you look at the numbers, he’s only got 14 months left on his contract. Several clubs in England and Europe are watching, and he’s only started 15 games for Liverpool this season.
Even though he hasn’t played much, Jones is impressing; he’s second only to Rodri in midfielder passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He’s also ranked second behind Moises Caicedo for passing accuracy, and right behind Rayan Cherki for carries. Pennant said the club can’t afford to let him go: Jones is so versatile; you can play him anywhere in midfield or even right back. He knows the club, loves it, and helps connect the squad.
Jones has been one of the top performers recently. Pennant thinks Liverpool should offer him a new deal, especially since the squad is thinning out and they’ve already lost Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the end, it’s up to Jones if he wants to stay or move for more game time, but Liverpool has to make the offer while they still can.
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