Arne Slot has confirmed that Diogo Jota has suffered a setback in his recovery from injury, ruling him out of a potential start in Liverpool’s upcoming Carabao Cup match against Southampton on Wednesday.
Jota made a triumphant return to action in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Fulham, scoring after nearly two months sidelined with a rib injury. However, Slot revealed that the Portugal international felt stiff following the game and was unable to train on Monday. The Liverpool boss is hopeful Jota can participate in Tuesday’s session but doesn’t expect him to be fit to start against Southampton.
“Diogo would have been ideal to play, but after Saturday’s game, he wasn’t completely fit, so he didn’t train with us yesterday,” Slot explained. “Let’s see if he can train with us today, but I don’t expect him to start. Hopefully, he can get some minutes, but he won’t start.”
Slot also provided an update on Kostas Tsimikas, who has been sidelined with injury. The left-back is expected to train ahead of the Southampton fixture, and Slot is hopeful he can be involved. Tsimikas is one of three defenders currently unavailable or doubtful due to injuries. Andy Robertson is suspended for the match, leaving Liverpool with limited options in defense.
“Kostas is getting close. He’s going to train with us today, maybe for the first time. Let’s see how that works out,” Slot said. “Conor and Ibou are still not training.”
With several players working their way back to full fitness, Slot also plans to give Federico Chiesa some minutes against Southampton. The Italian winger, who has been plagued by injuries since joining Liverpool, was included on the bench against Fulham.
“It’s definitely a moment where he can get some minutes,” Slot said of Chiesa. “You cannot expect him to play 90 minutes, especially given the high intensity of this level. He’s been out for five or six months, so we’ll ease him back in. He’ll get minutes, whether that’s starting or coming in during the second half. It will depend on the situation.”
Slot confirmed that Caoimhin Kelleher and Wataru Endo will start the match, with the manager looking to rest key players ahead of more demanding fixtures.
Additionally, Slot will be watching from the stands due to a one-match touchline ban after accumulating three yellow cards. He acknowledged that while not being on the sideline would limit his impact, the suspension would not be as restrictive as it would have been in the Dutch league.
“It won’t impact me as much as I thought it would, because if you’re suspended in Holland, you’re not allowed to be around the dressing room or do media,” Slot explained. “In England, I can still have an impact at half-time and before the game. Ideally, I’d be on the sidelines, but I got a yellow card, which I probably deserved.”
With these adjustments, Slot aims to manage his squad effectively while continuing to build match fitness for his returning players.
