Liverpool have fresh fitness concerns ahead of their crucial Premier League showdown with Manchester United, with midfielder Ryan Gravenbirch facing a race against time to get fit.
The Dutch international was forced off at half-time during Holland’s 4-0 win over Finland, raising fears he could suffer a hamstring injury ahead of one of the most anticipated matches of the season.
The latest setback could complicate Arne Slott’s preparations for the Anfield clash, as several key players already have fitness issues.
Ryan Gravenbirch injured on international duty
The 23-year-old midfielder has been in great form since joining from Bayern Munich and came on as a substitute during the Netherlands’ big win in Helsinki.
Manchester City midfielder Tijani Reynders was substituted as a precautionary measure.
Dutch coach Ronald Koeman admitted after the match that the decision to sack Grafenberg was taken to avoid escalating the problem.
Speaking to NOS after the match (as reported by voetbalzone.nl), Koeman said:
“Ryan indicated that he was feeling some mild discomfort in his hamstring. Obviously we didn’t take any risks on that.”
The player himself later reassured fans by suggesting that the problem was not a serious injury and was partly related to his fitness.
“Partly it was a fitness issue. It’s a long season so it was a precautionary measure. I’m feeling good and I have the confidence of my coach.” Graben-Birch said.
Arne Slot is patiently waiting for further updates
Grabenberch’s setback comes at a difficult time for Liverpool, who are already having some fitness issues in their squad.
Defender Ibrahima Konate was forced to withdraw from the French national team ahead of the weekend’s trip to Iceland, further reducing his slot options ahead of the game against United.
The club will closely monitor Grabenberch’s condition over the coming days and a medical assessment could decide whether he will feature against his arch-rivals.
Early signs suggest Graven Birch’s hamstring problem is not serious, but Liverpool will be desperate to get him fit for the next game against United. His influence in midfield has been crucial this season, and his performance could prove decisive.
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