Arne Slot has officially confirmed that Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker will both be unavailable for Liverpool’s high-stakes showdown against Manchester United this Sunday
Liverpool’s hopes of a definitive statement at Old Trafford have been dealt a significant double blow, as Arne Slot confirmed the weekend’s high-stakes showdown with Manchester United will come too soon for Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker.
The Reds travel down the East Lancs Road missing the two most influential pillars of the Jurgen Klopp era, leaving Slot to navigate his first trip to the Theatre of Dreams with a depleted deck.
“In all ways, it is a big relief that his injury is minor, that he is able to play for us and at the World Cup,” Slot admitted. “If there is any time a player deserves to have a big send-off, it is definitely him.
“Usually, he is fit sooner than other players when he has a minor injury, so we expect him back for the final part of the season, but not for Sunday.”
Salah’s absence leaves a gaping void in the frontline. The forward has been a persistent nightmare for United, evidenced by last season’s 3-0 demolition where he notched a goal and two assists. Remarkably, Salah remains the eighth-highest scorer at Old Trafford since 2020 an indictment of United’s struggles and a testament to his own dominance.
Alisson remains a doubt as keeper crisis deepens
If the attacking options are depleted, the situation between the posts is equally precarious. Alisson Becker remains a major doubt for Sunday, with Slot hesitant to gamble on the Brazilian’s long-term fitness.
To compound matters, Giorgi Mamardashvili is also sidelined following a heavy collision in the Merseyside derby that saw him leave the pitch on a stretcher. It leaves Freddie Woodman, who earned the Kop’s acclaim against Palace, likely to face the ultimate litmus test in the North West cauldron.
On Alisson’s availability, Slot said: “Ali hasn’t trained with us yet. Very close to train with us. I have to hear today from the medical staff to see if he is ready to train today, either tomorrow or the start of next week.
“He is very close, but also we don’t want to take any risks.”
Walking through the storm
The injury list doesn’t end at the stars. Liverpool’s squad depth is being tested to the limit during a campaign where results have often played second fiddle to the fitness report.
Hugo Ekitike’s horror Achilles injury has ruled him out until 2027, while the £240 million duo of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz continue to search for rhythm after their own setbacks. There was, at least, some positive news regarding Milos Kerkez after a midweek scare.
“Milos has had some niggles, he left the training pitch the day before yesterday, but I expect him to train either today or tomorrow,” Slot confirmed.
With European qualification and tribal bragging rights on the line, Liverpool must find a way to function without their traditional security blankets. For years, Salah and Alisson have been the insurance policies that ensured Liverpool emerged from these fixtures with points in the bag.
On Sunday, the “new-look” side built by the club must prove it can stand on its own two feet. Without the veterans to lean on, the responsibility shifts to the available stars to prove that this Liverpool iteration can weather the storm and deliver when it matters most.
It’s the kind of scenario that would have kept previous Liverpool managers pacing the floor of the AXA Training Centre until the early hours. To head into the bear pit of Old Trafford stripped of your greatest goalscorer and your world-class goalkeeper is a tall order for anyone.
But there is a sense around the club that this is the moment the “Slot machine” truly has to click into gear. We’ve heard plenty about the depth of this squad and the tactical flexibility of the new regime well, now we see it. If Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz can finally justify those eye-watering price tags in the absence of the Egyptian King, then the transition period isn’t just surviving it’s thriving.
