Arne Slot confirms huge injury at Liverpool ahead of the match against RB Leipzig

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed that striker Diogo Jota is unlikely to be available for this week’s Champions League meeting with RB Leipzig in Germany.

Jota was withdrawn just half an hour after Liverpool’s Premier League win over Chelsea on Sunday following an early row with Tosin Adarabioyo. He was replaced by Darwin Nunez, who would get the chance to start in the Portuguese’s absence.

“Diogo had to be substituted and I don’t know exactly what it is, but I would be surprised if he is there on Wednesday,” Slot explained after the match at Anfield.

“I have a lot of confidence in this team, but you also saw after the international break that we have some problems. Conor Bradley is not there, Trent (Alexander-Arnold) did not train in the first days after he came back, so he was a bit hesitant. Then we had (Alexis Mac Allister) sick.”

Liverpool won the match thanks to Curtis Jones putting them 2-1 ahead shortly after Nicolas Jackson canceled out Mohamed Salah’s penalty in the first half. But possibly without Jota against Leipzig is a blow, as he has often been Slot’s favorite ‘number nine’ this season.

The 27-year-old has not been productive in the Premier League, scoring just two goals in seven appearances, but he has also provided two assists and is shaping the attacking unit.

In the only league match Jota has not started this season, Nunez got the better of Bournemouth for a 3-0 win. The Uruguayan was also there from the start when Jota was left on the bench on the second day of the Champions League against Bologna.

Slot also has fellow countryman Cody Gakpo at his disposal. But although he often played centrally under Jürgen Klopp, Gakpo has mainly operated from the left so far this season.

Caoimhin Kelleher will remain in goal during Alisson’s latest injury absence, with Harvey Elliott still unavailable and Federico Chiesa not in the squad against Chelsea.

Liverpool are among the leaders in the new Champions League, one of seven clubs to have won both matches so far, but fifth in the standings thanks to a few others who have a better goal difference. Leipzig, who played against Atletico Madrid and Juventus, are in the winless bottom eight.