His first season in charge hasn’t even started yet, but already Arne Slot has been dealt a big injury blow with Andy Robertson ruled out of Liverpool’s pre-season games in the United States.
Robertson had traveled with the 28-man squad earlier this week as they made their way to Pittsburgh ahead of the first game Stateside against Real Betis. The left-back, though, will play no part in that game, nor will he feature against Arsenal or Manchester United during the remainder of the tour.
Slot confirmed in his press conference ahead of the game against Betis that Robertson is recovering from a knock picked up during Euro 2024. The 30-year-old captained Scotland in all three of their games out in Germany, where they were knocked out in the group stage after picking up just a point.
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Robertson also missed Liverpool’s behind-closed-doors game against Preston North End last week , despite being pictured back at the AXA Training Centre in the lead-up to that match.
The next target for the defender will be Liverpool’s first game back in the U.K. when it faces Sevilla at Anfield on August 11. The Reds kick off the new Premier League season less than a week later when they travel to Ipswich on August 17.
There is better news for Slot regarding three of his other players though. The new head coach confirmed Diogo Jota will report back for training today (July 25) ahead of the game against Betis.
Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch will also return later in the tour. That leaves just Trent Alexander-Arnold , Joe Gomez , Virgil van Dijk , Cody Gakpo , Alexis Mac Allister , Alisson Becker , Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez as the only remaining players still to report back to training following a busy international summer.
Those remaining eight players are expected to start training back at the AXA Training Centre.
Liverpool.com: That’s not great news about Robertson, but hopefully it’s nothing too serious. There’s no doubt Liverpool’s strongest team has him at left-back, and Slot will no doubt want him fit for the start of the season.
It’s better news about Jota, Konate and Gravenberch though. Their presence will give Slot a much better idea of what his team may look like as it creeps closer and closer to full strength.
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