Arne Slot Delivers Brutal Verdict on Calvin Ramsay Amid Liverpool's Defensive Crisis
Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces a critical selection dilemma ahead of Wednesday's Premier League clash with Sunderland, with four right-back options unavailable due to injuries and suspensions. In a stark pre-match press conference, Slot delivered a brutal assessment of Calvin Ramsay's prospects, indicating he would prefer to deploy midfielders out of position rather than select the Scottish defender.
Liverpool's Right-Back Options Severely Depleted
The Reds' defensive resources have been stretched to breaking point ahead of their trip to the Stadium of Light. Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong are both ruled out through injury, while Joe Gomez remains a major doubt as he races to regain fitness. Dominik Szoboszlai, who has frequently filled the right-back role this season, is suspended following his late red card in Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Manchester City.
This leaves Calvin Ramsay as the only specialist right-back available to Slot, yet the 22-year-old appears firmly out of contention. Ramsay has made just three first-team appearances for Liverpool since his arrival, with his only senior outing this season coming in October's Carabao Cup match against Crystal Palace.
Slot's Blunt Assessment of Ramsay's Situation
When questioned about Ramsay's potential involvement against Sunderland, Slot offered a characteristically direct response that revealed his thinking. "In general if you don't win a game, the players who aren't playing become the best players in the squad. That's the same everywhere in the world," the Liverpool manager stated.
He continued with a pointed remark about his selection philosophy: "This is an example of that as well. I just want to protect all my players. I've chosen other players until now and that's also what I'm going to do tomorrow."
Ramsay's Liverpool career has been marked by limited opportunities and multiple loan spells at Preston, Bolton, Wigan, and Kilmarnock. Despite being the natural right-back option amid the current crisis, he appears to have failed to impress Slot sufficiently to earn consideration for the starting lineup.
Midfielders Likely to Fill Defensive Void
With Ramsay seemingly out of the picture, Slot is likely to turn to midfielders Curtis Jones or Wataru Endo to fill the right-back position against Sunderland. Both players have previous experience in the role this season, providing Slot with makeshift solutions to his defensive conundrum.
The situation with Joe Gomez remains fluid, with Slot providing an update on the defender's fitness: "Joe hasn't trained with us yet. I'm expecting him today for the first time. Indeed, if Joe is not ready to start then we are missing four players who have played right-back. Curtis and Wata played in this position so had six different right full-backs."
Injury Woes Continue to Plague Liverpool
Liverpool's injury troubles extend beyond the immediate right-back crisis. The club suffered another significant blow over the weekend when £60 million January signing Jeremy Jacquet was forced off with an injury while playing for Rennes. The French defender, who will officially join Liverpool in the summer, represents another example of what Slot describes as the club's unfortunate luck this season.
"It feels like that, that is for sure," Slot acknowledged when asked about the Jacquet setback. "Even if we sign a player and he's not even playing for us, he gets injured. But the moment you think it's just bad luck then it comes to you as well. So we need to keep away from that and focus on improving performances."
The Liverpool manager reflected on broader patterns affecting the team: "The amount of times we are conceded late on is more than usual, so what's the reason for that? I can definitely say we haven't been lucky, that is true. But is it bad luck or who we are? We will find out over rest of season."
As Liverpool prepare for their midweek fixture, Slot's brutal assessment of Calvin Ramsay's standing within the squad highlights the depth of the defensive crisis facing the Reds. With midfielders potentially deputizing in defense and a specialist right-back seemingly frozen out, Liverpool's adaptability will be tested against Sunderland as they seek to overcome their injury woes and secure a vital Premier League victory.
