Liverpool manager Arne Slot has dropped a significant hint that star signing Florian Wirtz could make his return from injury during Friday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Wolves at Molineux. The German playmaker, who joined the Reds for a club-record £116 million last summer, has been sidelined for Liverpool's last two fixtures after suffering an injury during the warm-up ahead of their 1-0 Premier League victory at Nottingham Forest two weeks ago.
Wirtz Steps Up Recovery in Training
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Slot revealed that the 22-year-old trained with the first-team squad on Wednesday as he continues his rehabilitation programme. "He trained half-and-half with the team yesterday and made the next step in his rehab," the Dutch coach confirmed. "Let's see where he is today. He could be available for a few minutes tomorrow in the best-case scenario."
Creativity Sorely Missed in Wolves Defeat
Wirtz's absence was keenly felt during Liverpool's embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Wolves in the Premier League on Tuesday, with Slot's side struggling to create meaningful chances without their creative talisman. The timing of his potential return is particularly significant as Liverpool prepare to face the same opponents just three days later in the FA Cup, offering an opportunity for immediate redemption.
Slot reported that all players came through the midweek defeat without fresh injury concerns, though Liverpool's treatment room remains occupied by several key figures. The Reds continue to be without striker Alexander Isak, defender Conor Bradley, midfielder Wataru Endo, and young talents Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajcetic.
Injury Crisis Tests Liverpool's Squad Depth
The manager addressed Liverpool's ongoing injury problems, which have become a recurring theme throughout the current campaign. "I'm happy with what we did last summer, we signed so many great players but you can't predict so many would be injured," Slot explained. "Adaptation you can predict. It's the model we are having that we aren't having 25 players over here. It hurts even more if you have three or four long-term injuries. I knew when I came in this was the model and I'm happy with that."
Slot Demands Response After Midweek Disappointment
With Liverpool's Premier League title hopes suffering a setback following their defeat at Molineux, Slot has demanded an immediate response from his players in the cup competition. "We have a few [options] but we don't have 11," he added regarding potential team changes. "I always have options to bring in and players can bring in and let them start. Not for the first time this season, three days after a game where we have dropped points, I've seen us do quite a lot this season, we have to be better than we were last time."
The potential return of Wirtz, even if limited to a cameo appearance from the bench, would provide Liverpool with a significant psychological boost as they seek to advance in the FA Cup and maintain their pursuit of silverware this season. His creative qualities could prove decisive in what promises to be another tense encounter against a Wolves side brimming with confidence after their recent victory.
