Liverpool Rocked by Florian Wirtz Injury as Arne Slot Forced into Late Forest Change

Liverpool suffered a major pre-match blow ahead of their Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, as summer signing Florian Wirtz was forced to withdraw from the starting lineup due to an injury sustained during the warm-up.[1][2][3]

The German international, who had been named in Arne Slot's initial XI, arrived at the stadium appearing fit and ready to continue his impressive recent form. Wirtz had silenced early critics by contributing to six goals in his last 10 top-flight appearances, making this a particularly untimely setback just as he hit peak performance.[3]

With no time for a detailed medical update, Wirtz was seen speaking with coaching staff on the pitch before being swiftly replaced by Curtis Jones. Jones, who starred against Brighton last week but had shifted to right-back in that game, slotted into midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai filled in at right-back to accommodate the change in Slot's 4-2-3-1 formation.[1][3]

Liverpool's confirmed starting XI was: Alisson; Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister; Mohamed Salah, Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo; Hugo Ekitiké. Substitutes included Joe Gomez, Federico Chiesa, and others.[2][3]

Jones' integration proved rocky from the outset, as he lost possession early after hesitating on the ball, highlighting the disruption caused by the last-minute switch.[3]

The injury leaves Liverpool with a week's respite—no fixtures until West Ham visit Anfield on February 28—offering hope for Wirtz's swift recovery ahead of a congested schedule: back-to-back games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a Champions League last-16 first leg.[3]

This unexpected hurdle tests Slot's squad depth against a resurgent Forest side, underscoring the fine margins in the title race.

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