Cody Gakpo is nearing a return from injury but will not be available for Liverpool’s upcoming match against Aston Villa, confirmed manager Arne Slot.
The talented forward, who has been in impressive form, picked up a minor injury during the 2-2 draw with Everton and missed the victory over Wolves last weekend. While there was some hope he might recover in time for the Villa match, Slot has confirmed Gakpo won’t feature.
In terms of other injuries, Liverpool is still relatively healthy, with Joe Gomez the only other major absentee due to a hamstring injury.
The defender made his comeback from injury during the FA Cup tie against Plymouth Argyle but was forced off early, and Slot revealed that Gomez will be sidelined for several weeks. Though his return for the season isn’t ruled out, it’s a setback the player is taking hard.
“Both players are unavailable for tomorrow’s match,” said Slot at a press conference. “Cody is close but won’t make it, and Joe will be out for a number of weeks due to the hamstring issue.”
Gomez, who missed the entirety of January through injury, has only featured in nine Premier League games this season.
Slot acknowledged how tough it has been for the 27-year-old to endure another setback just after working hard to recover, especially at this crucial point of the season when Liverpool is competing in multiple competitions.
“It’s difficult for a player, especially at this time of the year,” Slot added. “He worked so hard to get back, and now he’s out again.”
Despite the injuries, Liverpool is still in good shape, and Slot remains focused on the next challenge. He emphasized that the Villa game, while tough, is part of a crucial final stretch of matches. “Every game is difficult at this stage,” Slot said.
“Villa away is always one of the toughest. Unai Emery is a great manager, and they’ve added some good players in January. We expect a tough test.”
A victory at Villa Park would put Liverpool 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League, but Slot isn’t getting ahead of himself. “We’ve got 13 more games to go, and the next one is the most important,” he stated.