Arne Slot is facing a dilemma for Liverpool’s Carabao Cup match against Brighton and it could hint at what’s next in the transfer market
Arne Slot has been managing his first real injury problems as Liverpool boss and while things might not have reached crisis point just yet, the Reds certainly face a dilemma for the clash with Brighton on Wednesday evening.
Indeed, the Carabao Cup usually provides managers the chance to rotate their team but there will be no such luxury for Slot, who is without Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa in his forward positions for the match.
It means he’s likely to ask Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah to go again against Brighton, with Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz competing for another place up top.
READ MORE: Arne Slot admits transfer market dilemma as Liverpool consider three youngsters for Brighton match
But what does that mean for Liverpool‘s future plans? Our writers have their say on an area of the time that could need reconstruction in the coming windows.
Ian Doyle
Teams and squads are always evolving and Liverpool’s is no different. And that means the recruitment team will be keeping an eye on possible new forwards in the coming seasons, not least with Mohamed Salah at present due to leave next summer.
Slot inherited a strong squad but, with the Reds now operating in a 4-2-3-1 formation the demands are a little different for the current forward line options.
It makes sense, then, that a new number nine, while not high on the list of priorities, will certainly be a consideration once thoughts are focused solely on next summer’s transfer window.
Whether that would involve either Darwin Nunez or Diogo Jota moving on will be determined by what both players achieve between now and the end of the season. But a new number nine option would not be a surprise at the start of next term.
Joe Rimmer
If the forward line wasn’t a transfer priority for Liverpool in recent windows then it might have to be in the future. Diogo Jota was clearly Arne Slot’s favourite to start in the centre-forward spot but – however unlucky this one – his inability to stay fit means he can’t fully nail down that place.
And while Darwin Nunez’s workrate has certainly been impressive, he might not be the most natural in Slot’s more controlling system.
Throw in the question marks around Mohamed Salah’s future, speculation surrounding Luis Diaz’s position and Federico Chiesa’s fitness problems and Liverpool might be more stretched in that area than previously thought.
Centre-midfield and centre-back are also positions in which Liverpool will surely need reinforcements in the near future but a natural number nine could go a long way to giving the Reds a dimension we’ve yet to see under Slot.
Beth Lindop
It doesn’t take long for injuries to start to bite in football. Not so long ago, there were question marks over whether Arne Slot would be able to placate all of his attacking players with the desired amount of minutes.
Now, the quartet of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez risk being run into the ground. Last season, Jurgen Klopp could call on the services of young prospects such at Lewis Koumas and Ben Doak in the cup competitions.
With that duo currently out of loan, Slot doesn’t have that luxury and, with the pair aged just 19 and 18 respectively, it’s unlikely they’ll be ready to be regular starters for the Reds next term. With that in mind, it would perhaps be wise for Liverpool to bolster their attacking options next summer.
With Salah set to be out of contract at the end of the season, plus Jota and Chiesa’s chequered injury histories, the Reds could benefit from reinforcements up top, particularly if Nunez is unable to convince Slot of his suitability as a long-term No. 9 this season.
