Liverpool suffer Jeremie Frimpong injury blow ahead of Manchester City tie
Liverpool defender Jeremie Frimpong has suffered a suspected injury while on international duty with the Netherlands, deepening the club’s defensive crisis ahead of crucial matches against Manchester City and Paris St-Germain.
The flying wing-back was forced off less than 15 minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute during Tuesday’s 1-1 friendly draw against Ecuador.
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman confirmed the withdrawal was not a tactical decision, raising immediate alarms on Merseyside.
“That was a blow, we had to substitute him,” Koeman explained to reporters.
Defensive headache for Arne Slot
This latest setback represents a significant problem for Liverpool head coach Arne Slot ahead of a defining week in their campaign.
The Anfield side travel to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday for a blockbuster FA Cup quarter-final against Pep Guardiola’s men.
Just days later, the six-time European champions host French title-holders Paris St-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
The former Bayer Leverkusen star has already endured three separate spells on the sidelines during his debut season in English football.
Hamstring history and makeshift solutions
Previous absences have all stemmed from persistent hamstring issues, with the most recent sustained during a convincing 6-0 Champions League victory over Qarabag.
That particular muscle problem kept the Dutch international out of action for five matches across all competitions.
Slot is already navigating a severe shortage of options on the right side of his backline following a season-ending knee injury to Conor Bradley.
Joe Gomez now stands as the only recognised senior right-back available in the first-team squad.
Midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have both been deployed as makeshift defenders this term and could be called upon once again.
Mixed news for key personnel
The Premier League club are expected to provide a definitive update on the severity of the defender’s knock during their pre-match media briefing later this week.
There is cautious optimism regarding the fitness of attacking talisman Mohamed Salah and pivotal goalkeeper Alisson.
Both senior figures missed the recent 2-1 defeat to Brighton and remained at the club’s training base during the international break to focus on their recovery.
Meanwhile, Liverpool mainstays Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, along with PSG forward Hugo Ekitike, have all completed their international duties without any reported fitness concerns.
