Arne Slot handed a major Liverpool injury boost as Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong report to the AXA Training Centre ahead of Saturday afternoon Premier League clash against West Ham United.
Arne Slot might have arrived at Anfield with a reputation for keeping players on the pitch rather than the treatment table, but even the meticulously-planned Dutchman is finding that the Premier League doesn’t care much for reputations.
As Liverpool’s stars reconvened at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday morning, all eyes were on two specific figures. Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong were both spotted reporting for duty, providing a much-needed glimmer of hope ahead of Saturday’s visit of West Ham United.
For Slot, the sight of his creative fulcrum and his energetic wing-back back in the building couldn’t have come at a better time. Liverpool were, quite frankly, horrible to watch at times during their 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest without Wirtz pulling the strings, the Reds looked hopelessly short of ideas.
Florian Wirtz has rapidly become the “key creative cog” for Liverpool after a challenging start to life in the Premier League. His importance was underscored in January, where he was awarded Liverpool’s Player of the Month after netting five of his six goals for the club in that month alone.
However, the German No.7 was a late casualty at Nottingham Forest, forced to withdraw just minutes before kickoff.
“He felt his back in the warm-up,” Slot explained after the Forest victory. “We don’t think it’s serious. He wasn’t able to be 100% or close enough to it to start.”
Despite sitting out Monday’s recovery session,The German has been active on social media, hinting at a speedy return. He recently uploaded a selfie from a sauna, accompanied by battery charge and handshake emojis, suggesting his “recharging” process is well underway. Slot remained optimistic but cautious in his post match press conference when providing an update on his condition:
“We don’t think it’s very serious, but he felt his back too much during the warmup to start. We hope and expect that he will be able to be with us again next week, but yeah, you never know how things work out.”
While Wirtz is the immediate concern, the return of Jeremie Frimpong to the training ground facilities is equally significant. The Dutch international has been sidelined since the end of January, after suffering a groin injury during the European clash against Qarabag.
His absence has forced Slot to shuffle his defensive deck, losing the explosive overlapping runs that characterise Liverpool’s right flank. It has been a long month for Frimpong, who has faced another frustrating muscle setback in a debut season punctuated by crimping fitness issues.
Slot’s update on February 19 was a mixture of caution and optimism:
“Jeremie will not be involved this weekend yet. We hope he will be involved next week if things go as planned.”
While the West Ham game might come too soon on Saturday afternoon for a starting role for Frimpong, having both him and Wirtz back in the building shifts the mood entirely.
The real answers will come Friday morning. Slot is scheduled to address the media at 9:00 AM (UK time) to preview the West Ham game. Having seen his side look toothless without their playmaker, the manager will be desperate to deliver some positive news.
Nazira Yusuf is a versatile sports journalist and dedicated Liverpool supporter who brings a wealth of experience from the front lines of the Premier League.
As a reporter she is a familiar face in press rooms, delivering breaking news, injury updates, and tactical insights on the Reds on match days.
Follow Nazira for authoritative coverage as Liverpool battles for domestic and European glory.
