Arne Slot believes he has different choices at right-back past seemingly stand-in Jarell Quansah, naming two different options to Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s absence.
Quansah is extensively anticipated to begin throughout Alexander-Arnold’s outing with an ankle harm, with Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez additionally sidelined.
That is because of start with the Carabao Cup last on Sunday, although talking in his pre-match press convention, Slot steered he had different choices to contemplate.
“I believe perhaps even Curtis can play there,” he informed reporters when requested if it was a straight alternative between Quansah and Wataru Endo.
“And you can too play with a left-footed defender on the best facet, which is what Newcastle are doing for the time being on the other [side].”
As Slot referenced, with Newcastle now with out their first-choice left-back in Lewis Corridor, supervisor Eddie Howe has turned to right-back Tino Livramento to fill in.
Within the reverse scenario at Liverpool that may suggest that both Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas might be thought of for a stint at right-back.
That’s actually much less seemingly than Quansah filling in through the absence of each Alexander-Arnold and Bradley, neither of whom are anticipated again till April on the very least.
However it’s clear that Slot and his workers have been weighing up options, maybe understanding that Quansah can not begin each recreation and that he too may decide up a health challenge.
Curtis Jones, now a pure midfielder who got here via the academy as a winger, does have expertise at right-back, together with when captaining Liverpool within the 3-1 win over Leicester within the Carabao Cup in September 2023.
Nonetheless as one in every of 4 common starters in Slot’s three-man midfield, he ought to be considered as an emergency possibility at this level.
James McConnell has additionally been used as a right-back, beginning in that function within the 1-0 loss to Plymouth within the FA Cup solely to shortly shift again to midfield after Joe Gomez‘s early harm.
However it’s clear that none are as suited to the function as Quansah – maybe bar Endo, who was a profession centre-back earlier than leaving Japan for Germany in addition to enjoying 15 instances at right-back for Urawa Purple Diamonds.
“He did very well the previous few instances he needed to play for us, even able he’s not utterly used to with no consideration full-back,” Slot stated of Quansah.
“For my part he additionally has the qualities to play in that place. He’s robust, he’s quick, he’s very comfy with the ball.
“And it provides us an additional high quality if we play him, as we noticed [against PSG], by way of set-pieces – as a result of he was the one which was this distant from us qualifying for the subsequent spherical, by heading the ball on the submit.”
