Slot told reporters on Friday that Bradley faces the longest spell out, describing the full-back’s prospects of returning before next month as “highly unlikely, unless a miracle happens”. The Northern Ireland defender had only recently worked his way back into contention and now joins Jeremie Frimpong on the list of unavailable right-backs.

While Wirtz’s issue is less severe, the Liverpool boss said the German playmaker will also miss Saturday’s match at Anfield as he continues to recover from discomfort sustained on international duty. Slot expects the midfielder to return sooner than Bradley but warned that the medical team will not rush him back.

There was better news regarding Alisson Becker, who has stepped up his recovery after a hamstring injury and is in contention to play this weekend. The Brazilian goalkeeper has been back in training for over a week and could feature if he comes through Friday’s session without complications.

Slot welcomed back Andy Robertson to full training too, but admitted Liverpool’s defensive depth remains a major concern with a demanding run of fixtures ahead. With seven matches scheduled across the next 22 days, the Dutch coach said he may be forced to use players in unfamiliar positions once again.

“Dominik Szoboszlai has already played at right-back for us, and he’s done well,” Slot said. “Joe Gomez is also an option, but we have to manage him carefully. We don’t have many natural defenders available right now, and that’s a challenge.”

The Liverpool boss also highlighted the difficulty of building match fitness in such a congested schedule. He revealed the club had hoped Alexander Isak would play more minutes for Sweden during the international window but accepted the decision to limit the striker’s involvement due to suspension risk.

“We’re short in certain areas, and match rhythm is something we can’t accelerate,” Slot added. “This is the situation when you bring in new players and when injuries arrive at the same time. We have to be smart with our choices.”

Liverpool will hope to navigate the upcoming period without further setbacks as they continue to push near the top of the Premier League table. With two creative players out and defensive options stretched, Slot faces one of his toughest selection dilemmas since arriving at Anfield.