Liverpool right-back crisis eases with Jeremie Frimpong return for West Ham
Jeremie Frimpong is set to return for Liverpool against West Ham United this weekend, offering relief to Arne Slot after an injury crisis that has seen seven different players used at right-back this season.
A difficult transition
The Netherlands international is poised to feature on Saturday after recovering from his latest fitness setback.
Since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, the defender has suffered three separate hamstring injuries.
Arne Slot has previously suggested the intensity of the Premier League has contributed to the player’s difficult adjustment period.
The stop-start nature of his Anfield career mirrors the issues faced by Trent Alexander-Arnold following his summer move to Real Madrid.
The curse of the seven right-backs
Liverpool have faced unprecedented instability in defense throughout the current campaign.
Slot has been forced to utilize seven different players in the right-back position due to a cascade of injuries.
Conor Bradley has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Experienced defender Joe Gomez has also seen his playing time rationed to prevent recurring fitness issues.
The crisis deepened when Wataru Endo sustained a foot injury while deputising in the back four, ruling him out for the foreseeable future.
Midfield balance disrupted
The defensive shortage has had significant knock-on effects for the team’s structure further forward.
Dominik Szoboszlai has frequently been moved from his preferred midfield role to cover the vacant defensive slot.
Curtis Jones has also been deployed as a makeshift solution, while Calvin Ramsay has been restricted to cup appearances.
The club attempted to address the issue late in the winter window by targeting Feyenoord’s Lutsharel Geertruida.
However, the loan move for the Dutchman failed to materialise.
Slot will hope Frimpong’s return brings much-needed consistency to a position that has defined Liverpool’s season for the wrong reasons.