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Liverpool enters a new year knowing 2025 could be one of the most exciting in its recent history.
The Reds are heavy favorites to win a second Premier League title and draw level with Manchester United on 20 top-flight triumphs. Liverpool is also one of the best-placed teams to win the Champions League, is into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and will begin its FA Cup campaign next week.
There seems to be only one real thing that can derail Liverpool’s chances of collecting silverware this term (certainly the Premier League, at least) and that’s injuries. Even Arne Slot has admitted a few major absences would have a huge impact on his squad.
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But Liverpool looks in a relatively clean bill of health at present with just three injuries. Two of those – Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate – are nearing returns, and there is every chance when United travels to Anfield this weekend that just one player (Joe Gomez) is out. In contrast, Arsenal has just lost Bukayo Saka, Chelsea has seven absentees and injuries have plagued Manchester City’s season.
Having the majority of his star players available and feeling fresh will be key to Liverpool’s chances of collecting silverware at the end of the term, and Slot has already shown a deft touch in that regard.
One recurring theme from recent press conferences is the Dutchman explaining his patient approach when it comes to players returning back from injury, so much so that Harvey Elliott recently thanked his manager for not rushing him back after he suffered a broken foot earlier this season.
Slot also revealed last week how he is slowly reintegrating Diogo Jota back into the team to avoid any further injury setbacks, Federico Chiesa’s return to the squad has been delayed to ensure he gets fully back up to speed, and Kostas Tsimikas has been kept out of the team since his return from an ankle issue. Liverpool could reap the rewards of those decisions later in the season.
Slot has managed his squad excellently in the first half of the season.
Admittedly, it does help that Slot doesn’t need to change a winning side, with his hardcore of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgirl van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah almost ever-presents in the league.
But Slot has also picked his moments to give those players a rest. They’ve actually often come in the Champions League this season, with Robertson starting just three of six games in the competition, Alexander-Arnold wasn’t rushed back to face Real Madrid and Salah was taken off after an hour at RB Leipzig.
Meanwhile, the minutes afforded to other players have provided natural rests. Excluding Salah, none of the team’s attackers feature in top seven for most minutes played in the squad this season, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai rarely start together and injuries and suspensions – while unplanned and unwanted – have allowed players like Alisson, Konate, Robertson, Mac Allister and Szoboslai to be rested. The latter, for instance, during the busy festive period, will go two weeks without starting a game.
It’s reasons like that why, as so many of Liverpool’s rivals begin a new year looking slightly jaded, the Reds appear fresh and revitalized.