Liverpool's Wirtz out injured with no return date
Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz will miss the Reds' match against West Ham United on Sunday (AEDT) and manager Arne Slot said he had no idea when the Germany international will be fit to return.
Wirtz suffered a back injury while warming up ahead of last weekend's clash at Nottingham Forest and Slot said the 22-year-old's absence was a blow to his side as it looks to continue a positive recent run of form.
Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in June, as the English club shattered its transfer record by shelling out £100 million ($189 million) for the German, with a further £16 million ($30.2 million) in potential add-ons.
After a slow start, Wirtz had found form before his injury, scoring six goals and providing seven assists for Liverpool this season, becoming Slot's preferred choice in the number 10 role behind.
“No, at this moment of time, no," Slot replied when asked if he had a timeframe in mind for Wirtz's return.
"And usually when I say that I do know that but I don’t want to share it. But now I honestly don’t know. It’s definitely a shame... indeed a disappointment for him, but also for us because he played really, really well lately."
In better news for the club, Liverpool may welcome back right back Jeremie Frimpong after a month out with a hamstring injury, Slot said.
Slot said his players needed to focus solely on their own performances rather than look at other teams, as they jostle with Manchester United and Chelsea in the battle for UEFA Champions League qualification places.
Liverpool sits sixth in the Premier League after 27 matches, level on 45 points with fifth-placed Chelsea and three adrift of Manchester United in fourth.
With both Chelsea and United not in action until Monday (AEDT), Liverpool will hope to put points on the board and the pressure back on their rivals with victory at home over relegation-threatened West Ham United.
“The way I see it, this is another game for us and we are not focused on other teams, only ourselves,” Slot said.
“We need to win a lot of games ... and that is where our focus is. Not so much about points and gaps although we are aware of the table.”
Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister scored a 97th-minute winner to give Liverpool victory at Forest in its previous outing, its second straight 1‑0 triumph.
Slot acknowledged that goals had been harder to come by for his forwards, but that Liverpool's solid defensive form meant it did not matter as much.
“We keep clean sheets, so they don’t need to score as many,” he said.
