4 things spotted in Liverpool training as Arne Slot gets injury boost and Federico Chiesa sharp
Liverpool returns to Premier League action this weekend with the visit to Anfield of Nottingham Forest. Arne Slot's side began the season with three wins and three clean sheets and the Dutchman will be hoping that the momentum has not been halted.
Several Liverpool stars including Ryan Gravenberch and Trent Alexander-Arnold impressed on international duty with their countries while Darwin Nunez was among those who stayed on Merseyside. Now back together again and photographed in training on Thursday, the Reds have been gearing up for Nuno Espirito Santo's outfit coming to town.
Here are the five things that Liverpool.com spotted during the session. There was mixed injury news during the international break. And with so many fixtures coming up, Slot will need as many stars in top shape as possible.
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Curtis Jones returns
Having missed the last couple of matches through injury and been left on the bench at Ipswich Town on matchday one, Curtis Jones was back with his teammates this week. He has recovered from a minor muscle issue and will be hoping to make his first competitive appearance under Slot.
Jones looked sharp in the session and should get some minutes this week with the Champions League beginning with a trip to AC Milan on Tuesday. The midfield is unlikely to be identical both here and there.
Harvey Elliott absent
While Jones was back, Harvey Elliott is set to be out for a while. He is not expected to be back until the end of October which is a huge blow for him and the Reds considering he would have rotated with Dominik Szoboszlai in that period in the number 10 role.
"Harvey is of course a big disappointment for him but not only for him, also for us because OK, he didn’t play that much in the first three games but he played a lot in pre-season and he showed himself really well so, of course, if he had stayed fit he would have had a lot of playing time in the upcoming fixtures," Slot said during his press conference today. "But now he isn’t [fit] and that also gives the chance to someone else."
Trey Nyoni involved
Hugely impressive with England U18s during the international break where he scored a couple of goals, Trey Nyoni was still with the senior set-up upon his return. While he is unlikely to be involved against Nottingham Forest, he could play a starring role in the UEFA Youth League this season, with Liverpool's U19s set to play AC Milan on Tuesday in that competition.
Nyoni is learning plenty from being with the first team and should get an opportunity at some point, possibly in the Carabao Cup against West Ham United. In this session, he was getting stuck in, vying for possession with Jones — a player he will ultimately be looking to oust from the starting XI.
Federico Chiesa sharpness
Potentially set to make his debut against Nottingham Forest, new signing Federico Chiesa looked sharp, with the Reds sharing a video on YouTube of him finding the back of the net a few times in one drill. The 26-year-old Italian is likely to come off the bench tomorrow if he is involved in a Premier League fixture for the first time.
"Federico has trained with the team now three or four times," Slot said in his Friday press conference. "Let’s see how he does today and which decision I make because we have more than 20 players, for if I choose for a position or if I choose the ones that are the fittest at the moment."