Slot admits Liverpool’s latest injury is an ‘enormous blow’ – and provides update on youngster after win over Barnsley

Arne Slot admits losing Conor Bradley to a serious knee injury is an “enormous blow” for his side.

Liverpool progressed to the FA Cup fourth round with a 4-1 win over Barnsley without Bradley, who could miss the rest of the season after suffering an injury in the goalless draw with Arsenal last week.

And the Reds boss could not hide his disappointment at the news.

“First let’s talk about him, because Trent (Alexander-Arnold) is leaving and Conor already replaced him a few times really well,” Slot explained.

“And I think the year before I came he also had a good spell.

“I think he felt and I felt the same that this was now going to be your time. Then he missed out on so many games because of injury already, mainly hamstring injuries.

“Coming back from that, being in the team, progressing, doing better and better, staying fit, and then something like this happens.

“So in a season that he thought before it started ‘this has to be my season’ and I thought the same, to maybe play six, seven or eight games is a big, big, big blow for him.

“And I also think about Northern Ireland where he’s trying to reach the World Cup so it’s an enormous blow for him but as a result of that it’s a big blow for us as well because I hope you don’t think I would like to play Dominik Szoboszlai as a right full-back.

“But Jeremie Frimpong has to play a lot of minutes and he’s also come back from an injury, has missed three or four months of a lot of playing time. I liked him again today by the way.

“I have to make sure that he’s able to play again at the weekend and then we go to Marseille and to Bournemouth. It’s nine games in January with six defenders available. I have to manage it in the right way and I have to give enormous compliments to the players that are fit that we’re 11 games unbeaten.”

Goals from Szoboszlai, Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike saw Liverpool set up a fourth round clash with Brighton.

Youngster Rio Ngumoha was forced off during the game, however, but Slot says he thinks it was just due to cramp, and believes the attacker is still getting used to playing senior football.

“I assume, and think, and expect that it’s cramp,” Slot said.

“So it tells Rio that I expect that a Premier League game is more intense than this one. It’s very nice for him to again make 70 minutes but that it’s still very hard work to be ready for 90 in the Premier League.

“But that’s completely normal for a 17-year-old. Make no mistake about that. It’s already great for him and for Liverpool that a 17-year-old plays so many minutes in a Liverpool shirt so let’s hope he can continue and we can bring him further and further towards 90 minutes at Premier League level.”