Liverpool manager Arne Slot has delivered a concerning update on the fitness of key defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate following the Reds’ elimination from the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night. The pair were forced off during Liverpool’s penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the last-16 second leg at Anfield, raising doubts about their availability for the upcoming Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United this Sunday.
Liverpool, who entered the second leg with a one-goal advantage from the first leg in Paris, saw their European campaign end in heartbreak after PSG leveled the aggregate score with a 1-0 win in normal time, courtesy of Ousmane Dembele’s strike. The match extended into extra time and ultimately penalties, where misses from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones allowed PSG to advance with a 4-1 shootout victory. However, the loss of Alexander-Arnold and Konate during the match has left Slot with fresh concerns as the Reds shift focus to domestic competitions.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Slot addressed the condition of both players. On Alexander-Arnold, who limped off in the 73rd minute after appearing to twist his right ankle in a challenge with PSG’s Vitinha, Slot was pessimistic. “With Trent, he had to come off. That’s never a good sign,” the Dutch manager said. “And from what I heard from people that saw the images or how he got injured, that didn’t look very good. So I would be surprised if he is available for Sunday.” The injury to the 26-year-old vice-captain, who has been in scintillating form this season, comes at a particularly inopportune time with Liverpool already missing second-choice right-back Conor Bradley due to a separate injury.
In contrast, Slot offered a more optimistic outlook for Konate, who was substituted during extra time after battling through visible discomfort. “I have to ask, but for me, Ibou was more that he was tired than it was an injury,” Slot explained. The French center-back, a cornerstone of Liverpool’s defense alongside Virgil van Dijk, appeared to be suffering from cramp rather than a structural injury, providing some hope that he could recover in time for the weekend’s Wembley showdown.
The injuries compound an already challenging night for Liverpool, who now have just two competitions—the Premier League and the Carabao Cup—to focus on for the remainder of the season. With Alexander-Arnold doubtful and Bradley sidelined, 22-year-old Jarell Quansah stepped in at right-back against PSG and could be in line for a rare start in the final. Quansah, naturally a center-back, performed admirably against PSG’s tricky winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, offering Slot a potential solution amid the defensive injury crisis.
Slot remained philosophical despite the setbacks, emphasizing the mental boost of having a final to prepare for. “The good thing is we play a final on Sunday, so mentally that’s probably the best you can ask for, because this is what we are playing football for: to play finals,” he said. “Then there are two-and-a-half weeks in between before we start the season again.”