Liverpool boss Arne Slot says Florian Wirtz has a chance of featuring in Friday’s FA Cup fifth-round clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Reds return to Molineux just three days after a last-gasp 2-1 defeat to the Premier League’s bottom side — a result that dented their hopes of a top-five finish and qualification for the Champions League.
Florian Wirtz missed that game due to a back problem sustained during the warm-up at City Ground last month and has since been absent for Liverpool’s previous three Premier League fixtures.
However, the German could return in the FA Cup as Slot’s side look to respond and seek revenge.
Discussing the German’s fitness at his press conference on Tuesday, Slot said: “He trained ‘half and half’ with the team yesterday. He made the next step in rehab.
“Let’s see where he is today. He could be available for a few minutes tomorrow in the best scenario. Everyone else is fine.”
Arne Slot added that he is likely to make changes for the swift return to the Midlands, but with limited options available, he will be unable to rotate his squad extensively.
“We have a few (options for changes) but we don’t have 11,” he said. “I always have options to bring in and players can bring in and let them start.
“Not for the first time this season, three days after a game where we have dropped points, I’ve seen us do quite a lot this season, we have to be better than we were last time.”
Arne Slot insists his players are making progress despite the dip in results compared to last season, pointing to Florian Wirtz as a prime example prior to his injury.
“You see individual players getting better and better. Progress has had setbacks due to injuries,” he said.
“One of the players who creates is Florian Wirtz. He got injured three games ago. Before that team had a certain balance and we’ve had to adjust again. That’s happened a lot this season.
“There are periods we have conceded a lot of goals on counter-attacks and set-pieces. Against Wolves we conceded on counter-attack, but I see an improvement overall in defending them.
“Not all the games have improved in terms of creating chances. But we’re not the only team that finds it hard to create from open play. It’s the quality of the league that makes it more complicated.”
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