Trent Alexander Arnold could return to Liverpool squad vs Leicester, says Slot

Liverpool, April 18 (IANS) Trent Alexander-Arnold is nearing a return to full fitness and could be part of the Liverpool squad at Leicester City this weekend. The Reds full-back has been sidelined since sustaining an injury during the Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on March 11.

But Alexander-Arnold is due to rejoin team training on Friday and may be ready to take a spot on the bench at King Power Stadium on Sunday.

Asked about the right-back and how close he is to featuring again, head coach Arne Slot said although he is not ready to start, but given his training sessions go alright, Arnold could return to the bench.

“Trent is coming back from an injury, he trained with us yesterday and every time he plays with us and trains with us he shows his commitment. He has worked so hard to be back already now, and the moment he is on the pitch he shows me what a great football player he is and how much he is involved in us trying to achieve our goals this season.

“(He is) not (ready) to start but if things go well today and tomorrow, he might – might – be on the bench. But definitely not to start because he is out for five-and-a-half weeks and this is today probably his first session with the team,” said Slot in the press conference.

Liverpool need another six points out of the 18 that are available across their remaining six Premier League matches to guarantee a second Premier League title and 20th league title overall.

That would give them 82 points, out of reach of their nearest rivals Arsenal, because even if the Gunners won their remaining six matches, they could only reach 81 points.

However, the Reds can lift the trophy as early as this weekend. For that Arsenal must first lose their next match, at Ipswich Town, on Sunday. If Liverpool beat Leicester later that day, they would be on 79 points, while Arsenal would still be on 63 points and only able to finish on a maximum of 78, with five matches and 15 points left to fight for.

When asked if his thoughts are on the title, Slot denied thinking about the trophy and wants to take it a game at a time.

“The honest answer is no. I’m not sure you believe me but that is the honest answer. My whole life I’m living in the moment, in the day, and I’m not looking backwards a lot and I’m not looking forwards a lot because it’s the type of person that I am, that I am not constantly looking back at what I have achieved at former clubs.

“That is also so difficult in football, people constantly tell you, ‘Try to enjoy it, try to enjoy the whole journey,’ but the only thing you are thinking about as a manager is, ‘Oh, at the weekend there is a game coming up as well and we need to win that and we need to win the next and we need to win the next.’ So, maybe that’s one of the reasons: because I’m already so long in football that you get used to the fact of living day by day and trying to influence day by day,” he added.

--IANS

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