Liverpool manager Arne Slot is adamant that injuries have played a major role in his side’s faltering defence of their Premier League title.
The Reds suffered their ninth league loss of the season with a 2-1 defeat at bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Tuesday and return to Molineux on Friday for an FA Cup fifth-round tie.
Slot said that the absence of Florian Wirtz, who could be on the bench after missing three matches with a back injury, had hampered Liverpool’s progress.
British-record signing Alexander Isak has also been sidelined since mid-December with a broken leg.
“I think you see individual players getting better and better, but progress has had setbacks because of injuries as well,” Slot told reporters on Thursday.
“One of the players who is able to create a lot from open play is Florian Wirtz and unfortunately he got injured three games ago.
“Before that, he was able to create a lot, the team had certain balance and then we had to adjust to it again. That has happened a lot to us this season.”
The importance of set-pieces has been under the spotlight in recent weeks, with Arsenal’s proficiency in that department helping them move seven points clear at the top of the table.
Liverpool struggled both defensively and offensively from set-pieces for much of the campaign but have improved since the turn of the year.
They scored three times from first-half corners in last weekend’s 5-2 win over West Ham.
“We are not the only team that finds it hard to create a lot of chances from open play,” Slot said.
“It is also the Premier League and the opposition we face and other teams face as well.”
Slot is set to make changes for Liverpool’s second game of the week against Wolves, but was cautious about Wirtz’s chances of featuring.
“He trained half-and-half with the team yesterday, so he made the next step in his rehab,” said Slot.
“Let’s see where he is today and if he could then be available for a few minutes in the best scenario.”
Liverpool’s defence has been hit particularly hard, with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both suffering season-ending injuries, while Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong have also spent lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Slot, however, rejected suggestions that Liverpool should have increased their squad depth, despite splashing out some £450 million ($601 million) on new players during the summer transfer window.
“I always knew when I came in here that this was the model and I’m really happy with that,” he said, acknowledging that this, however, meant that “it hurts even more if you have three or four long-term injuries”.
