Liverpool are now four points behind Chelsea for the fifth place position, and five points back of Manchester United for the fourth place slot. If they don’t start to make up some ground soon, they’ll fall into a place that is a bridge too far to come back from. The next match on the docket is a trip to Sunderland, and it’s bad news on the availability front. Dominik Szoboszlai got sent off in the loss to Manchester City yesterday.
His red card means he’s now suspended for the midweek league fixture.
Sunderland vs Liverpool FC FYIs
Kickoff: Wed. Feb 11, 8:15 pm local, Stadium of Light, Sunderland, UK
Result Probability according to Google Analytics: Sunderland win 20% Draw 24% Liverpool FC win 56%
Premier League Standing, Form: Sunderland 9th, 36 pts LWLWL Liverpool FC 6th, 39 pts, DDLWL
Reds Team News
Liverpool, as you probably know, have an injury crisis in the back line. Szoboszlai is a midfielder, but he had been holding down the right back position, out of need. Jeremie Frimpong won’t return for a couple weeks yet, so the Reds really need Joe Gomez to come back here.
From what manager Arne Slot said after the match on Sunday, it doesn’t seem likely that he will.
“Jeremie for sure not, we knew this when he got injured that this was a few weeks,” Slot said after the loss to City.
“To be honest I don’t expect Joe to be back Wednesday, but you never know. But then he’s back after being out for three weeks. Would you play him then? You say no, but you don’t have to make the decision, I do!”
“Let’s see what decision we make, but we have other players who can play that position as well.”
Yes, we’ll all be on pins and needles awaiting his decision. It is possible that Gomez passes a late fitness and makes the matchday squad here. We’ll just have to wait until Wednesday to see.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.