Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has expressed his expectations of a challenging encounter against Ipswich Town this weekend.
The Reds, currently leading the Premier League, will host 18th-placed Ipswich at Anfield on Saturday. Slot believes Kieran McKenna‘s side has been “unlucky” in several games since their promotion to the top flight.
Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season, but Slot emphasized the progress his team has made since then. Reflecting on the earlier match, he said:
“At that time, I only had 13 or 14 players to work with for about a week and a half.
It felt similar to stepping into a team mid-season, as many players joined just before the season started. From then on, we’ve only played games.
Naturally, we’ve improved since that game, though I noticed some similarities in our second-half performance back then to how we play now.”
Slot also praised Ipswich’s development under McKenna, highlighting their bad luck in tight games. He noted:
“They’ve been unlucky in the final moments of some matches. The second half of the season is always tougher as teams strengthen during the winter, and managers have had more time to shape their squads.
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Ipswich has definitely improved, and that’s a credit to Kieran McKenna.”
Injury Updates Ahead of Saturday’s Clash
Slot confirmed that Liverpool will be without midfielder Curtis Jones, who was substituted at halftime during their midweek win over Lille.
However, he reassured fans about Ibrahima Konaté‘s fitness despite the French defender’s recent struggles with knee pain.
“You’ve seen how we’ve managed his recovery,” Slot explained. “Jarell [Quansah] played against Lille and Accrington to help reduce [Konaté’s] workload.
While he feels some discomfort, it’s safe for him to play. After a player is sidelined for five or six weeks, we need to be cautious about the load, especially with games every three days. But I believe he’s now at a stage where he can handle it.”
Liverpool will be aiming to maintain their dominance at the top of the table, while Ipswich will be seeking vital points in their fight to avoid relegation.
