LIVERPOOL, England (AP) 鈥� midfielder Florian Wirtz will miss Saturday’s game against West Ham because of a lingering back injury, and manager Arne Slot said there’s no timetable for the Germany playmaker’s return.
Wirtz had been before last week’s game at Nottingham Forest after experiencing back pain during the warm-up.
鈥淚 don’t expect Florian to be available. That鈥檚 a disappointment, of course,鈥� Slot said Friday at a press conference. 鈥淓very time when a player is not available, it鈥檚 a disappointment, and also something that I didn鈥檛 expect after last week.鈥�
At the time of the injury, Slot had said: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 very serious.鈥�
The Dutch manager was asked Friday if he knows how long Wirtz will be out.
鈥淎t this moment in time no, and usually when I say that I do know that, but I don鈥檛 want to share it,鈥� Slot said. 鈥淏ut now, I honestly don鈥檛 know.鈥�
Wirtz, who from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, has been a mainstay in Slot’s midfield.
鈥淚t鈥檚, in my opinion, already a big accomplishment of him that he stayed fit for such a long time because he had to make a step from where he played towards Liverpool, towards the Premier League, and that he stayed fit all the time tells you a lot about the mentality and the work rate of the player and by the performance staff,鈥� Slot said.
Frimpong is back
Netherlands right-back Jeremie Frimpong has trained with the team this week, 鈥渟o he is available鈥� against West Ham, Slot said.
Frimpong, who has dealt with several injuries in his first season at Anfield, has missed the past month with a muscle injury.
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