Arne Slot offered some positive injury news on Friday, all but confirming he will have both Alisson and Conor Bradley in his starting lineup against West Ham on Sunday.
The Reds have a week between games from now until the end of the season on May 25, allowing any injured players the opportunity to recover without missing too many games.
Alisson has been absent for the last two with concussion but Slot confirmed in his press conference on Friday that he is now available for selection.
“Yes, he is,” Slot said when asked if the Brazilian is now fully recovered.
It will have been 22 days since Alisson received the head knock on Sunday, in line with the FA’s concussion guidelines which state that the minimum time to return to play is 21 days.
Caoimhin Kelleher, therefore, is likely to have played his last game of the season at Fulham and in all likelihood his last for the club with a summer transfer expected.
As for Bradley, who returned from a hamstring injury off the bench last Sunday, he is now ready to be in the starting XI to ensure neither Curtis Jones nor Jarell Quansah will be at right-back.
• READ: Salah new wages revealed – most LFC have EVER paid a player
“Of course it’s a boost, it’s always a boost when quality players come back,” Slot said of Bradley.
“Especially quality players in that position, because I think Curtis Jones is a quality player but it’s not his favourite position.”
There was no new update on Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is still targeting a return in mid-April, but you can lock Alisson and Bradley in for starting berths at Anfield on Sunday.
Why Bradley’s return is “better for the team”
With Bradley’s 23-minute cameo off the bench last time out proving his fitness to be in the XI on Sunday, Slot underlined why his presence is important for the team.
Slot continued: “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.
“But then if he isn’t, we have to solve that problem. And we are not the only team in this league that has had these problems. We’ve tried to bring the best out of it.
“That worked really well against Everton. I think Curtis played well also against Fulham.
“Of course he was involved in the goal but you can ask yourself the question if he could do so much about that. But he did it quite well to very well, in my opinion, for two times.
“But now to have Conor back, I think we all would make the same decision and that’s playing Conor in that position.”
Fan Comments