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Liverpool boss Arne Slot faces yet another tactical headache after right back Jeremie Frimpong hobbled off during international duty with the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Frimpong came off the bench at half-time in the 1–1 stalemate against Ecuador, only to be withdrawn just 12 minutes into his appearance.
"That was a setback, we had to take him off," Dutch head coach Ronald Koeman said following the match, confirming that Frimpong's early exit was injury-related rather than a tactical decision.
The full extent of Frimpong's injury remains unclear, and Liverpool are waiting on a definitive assessment of the right back, whose debut campaign at Anfield has been severely disrupted by fitness problems.
As the sole natural right back at Slot's disposal heading into the international break, the Reds manager will once again need to think outside the box when it comes to his defensive setup.
How Liverpool Can Replace Injured Frimpong
Losing your only available right back is undeniably a massive setback for any side in world football. If there is one small silver lining, though, it is that Liverpool are no strangers to navigating this exact problem.
Having missed just 11 games for club and country throughout his entire career prior to joining Liverpool, Frimpong has already been sidelined for 25 matches this season alone, suffering three separate hamstring injuries in the process.
Consequently, Slot already has considerable experience covering for him, even without first-choice backup Conor Bradley, who remains sidelined with a long-term injury of his own.
Slot's go-to solution has been to field attacking midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai at right back this season—much to the bewilderment of his international coach—leaning on his tireless work rate to compensate defensively while taking advantage of his impressive distribution from deep positions.
Szoboszlai looks set to fill in at right back once more should Frimpong require a prolonged absence, starting with this weekend's FA Cup quarterfinal clash against Manchester City.
Notably, Slot does have a recognized right back within his squad. Calvin Ramsay, 22, has remained an unused substitute in every Premier League fixture since mid-December. However, Slot has consistently acknowledged that he does not consider Ramsay the strongest option at his disposal, with several senior players — even those naturally suited to other positions — ranked well above him in the pecking order.
The adaptable Joe Gomez may be the closest natural alternative in Slot's thinking, though fitness concerns could restrict his availability. The 28-year-old picked up a minor problem that saw him reduced to a bench role against Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break, with the Reds manager conceding he wasn't fit enough for game time. That picture may have improved following a fortnight of recovery.
Japan international Wataru Endo has also featured at right back at various points this season, though a current injury rules him out of consideration.