Arne Slot: Alisson “is close” to returning
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Image Credits: Imago ImagesLiverpool manager Arne Slot has delivered a cautiously optimistic injury update on Alisson Becker ahead of Sunday’s high-stakes Premier League clash at Old Trafford, confirming the Brazilian goalkeeper has not yet rejoined full team training but remains in contention to face Manchester United.“Ali hasn’t trained with us yet but is close,” Slot told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Friday.“I have to hear from the medical staff if he is ready to train with us. He is close, but we don’t want to take any risks.”The manager added an important caveat though, that Alisson’s absence from training does not necessarily rule him out of the game, given that goalkeepers operate on different fitness thresholds than outfield players.Alisson has not featured for the Reds since March 18 due to ongoing hamstring issues, which forced him to miss seven club games as well as Brazil’s March international fixtures.The 33-year-old was considered a near-certainty to return against Crystal Palace last weekend, only for a final Friday fitness assessment to go against him.Third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman stepped in to star at Anfield in his absence, with the Englishman having already said, “I want Giorgi to be fine and then Ali, the best goalkeeper in the world, to come back fit.”The timing of the potential return could not be more significant.Liverpool is awaiting confirmation on exactly which players will be available for the Premier League fixture, a game they could leapfrog United in the table with a win.The injury crisis at Anfield has deepened in recent weeks, with Giorgi Mamardashvili also unavailable after sustaining a serious knee injury during the Merseyside derby, leaving Liverpool without their first two goalkeeping options simultaneously.Hugo Ekitike adds to Slot’s headaches after undergoing surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon sustained against Paris Saint-Germain, leaving the Frenchman unlikely to return until 2027.This season in the Premier League, Alisson has made 25 appearances, accumulating 2,250 minutes, keeping 8 clean sheets with a save percentage of 65.12% and conceding at a rate of 0.92 goals per 90 minutes.In the Champions League, he made 12 saves across 6 appearances and kept 4 clean sheets, a clean sheet ratio of 67% per match.His importance to this Liverpool side is difficult to overstate.His standout individual moment this season came in the Champions League round of 16 first leg at Paris Saint-Germain, where he made 9 saves to secure a 1-0 clean sheet away victory, a performance that drew comparisons to some of the finest goalkeeping displays in Liverpool’s European history.Beyond Sunday, there are broader questions surrounding Alisson’s future at the club.Alisson, who has recently been linked with a summer switch to Juventus, remains among the best in the business, but his contract situation is drawing increasing scrutiny.Slot last week implied there could be an argument for allowing the keeper to leave this summer, while Virgil van Dijk admitted he does not yet know what his long-time teammate’s future holds.For now though, the focus is singular: can the man widely regarded as one of the world’s best goalkeepers make it back to face United at Old Trafford?Liverpool fans will be checking their phones all weekend for that answer.
Alisson Becker Arne Slot