Liverpool have finally rediscovered their winning ways with back-to-back victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but another big test lies ahead.
The Reds were in freefall after losing six out of seven games before their Premier League fixture at Anfield last weekend against Unai Emery’s side.
Arne Slot and his squad were under immense pressure to take all three points from the clash after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup during midweek, and they delivered.
Liverpool jumped straight back into third in the top flight and followed up their domestic comeback with a confident and controlled victory over European rivals Real Madrid under the lights on Merseyside in the Champions League.
However, there is no time to rest on their laurels as they make the short trip to the sky-blue side of Manchester on Sunday afternoon to take on long-time league title competitors Manchester City.
Slot will be looking to seal his third consecutive win in just over a week when he deploys his team on Pep Guardiola’s territory, with only one point separating the pair in the Premier League table.
With only ten games played so far, it’s too early for title talk, but it will be vitally important for Liverpool to take points from one of their strongest competitors, even at this early stage of the season.
In terms of injuries, the Merseysiders have had their fair share since the campaign began, with record signing Alexander Isak struggling for match fitness and suffering from a recurring groin complaint.
Alisson Becker and Jeremie Frimpong have also been casualties during this demanding period for the reigning champions, but Slot has now given a major update on the trio’s fitness.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference today, the Dutch manager offered a positive insight into the progress of his injured players:
“Isak will train with the team again after three weeks out.”
“I know that I said three weeks ago that his pre-season had ended, so now it’s time for us to see where he is.
“But I have to come back to those words, because if you are three weeks only with the rehab, that doesn’t bring you back to the levels he was three weeks ago.”
Liverpool will host Nottingham Forest on 22 November following the international break, and when asked who could be expected back, Slot revealed:
“Alisson for sure. And I expect Jeremie back after the international break as well, because we play from November until March!”
“But I don’t expect Jeremie to be fully fit for Forest. But with Alisson, we expect this, yes.”
Will Alexander Isak start against Manchester City?
There’s no doubt that a return for Isak against Man City would be a massive boost for the Reds, but Slot will likely be cautious given his comments in the press conference.
Not only does Isak’s recent return from injury make the manager wary, but given that he’s shown clear signs of not being match fit yet, it would be surprising to see him start at the Etihad on Sunday.
Fellow new addition Hugo Ekitike has been a joy to watch for Liverpool since his arrival and is currently the club’s top scorer in all competitions with six goals.
The Frenchman will likely lead the line on Sunday, accompanied by Mohamed Salah on the right and either Cody Gakpo or Florian Wirtz on the left flank, though Isak could get some minutes from the bench if he’s ready.
The upcoming international break will be a great opportunity for Slot to get his best players ready for the congested fixture schedule around the festive season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Isak play a big role in that if he can get up to speed.
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