Arne Slot speaks out about Florian Wirtz’s injury

Coach Arne Slot gave an update on Florian Wirtz’s injury following the midfielder’s withdrawal before the Liverpool game against Nottingham Forest, with hopes for his comeback next week.

Head coach Arne Slot has just given an update on Florian Wirtz’s injury status after the player was unexpectedly taken off the starting lineup just before Liverpool faced Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Wirtz, a summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, was initially named in the starting eleven, but during the pre-match warm-up, he experienced back pain and was unable to perform at his best. Therefore, Coach Arne Slot decided to replace Wirtz with Curtis Jones.

Despite Wirtz’s absence, Liverpool secured a narrow 1-0 win thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s stoppage-time goal. After the match, Coach Slot spoke to the media about Wirtz’s injury, stating: "We don’t believe it’s a serious injury. He felt back pain during warm-up and wasn’t able to play at 100%. He understands that in the Premier League, if you’re not at your peak, it’s difficult to perform effectively. So, we chose not to take any risks and hope Wirtz can return next week, although nothing is certain."

Regarding Mac Allister, he shared mixed emotions following Liverpool’s crucial win. "My feelings are quite mixed. I enjoy scoring and winning, but I felt the team didn’t play well. We need to improve a lot, but in the end, the win is what matters most," Mac Allister said. Additionally, he recalled a moment when his goal was disallowed earlier and expressed confidence that more chances will come.

Coach Arne Slot did not hesitate to criticize his players’ performance in the first half. "That was the worst first half since I took charge of the team, but we defended well inside the 18-yard box, which helped keep the score level," Slot said. However, he also emphasized that Liverpool played better in the second half and successfully protected their lead.

After the match, Liverpool maintained their 6th position and continued to hope for a top 4 finish in the Premier League. Although not yet at their best form, with this victory, Coach Slot’s team aims to improve their play in upcoming matches to keep competing for a Champions League spot next season.