JONES FACES FITNESS RACE FOR UNITED CLASH

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has confirmed that Curtis Jones is in a race against time to be fit for their upcoming match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Jones, who was an unused substitute during Liverpool’s opening 2-1 win at Ipswich Town, missed the following game against Brentford due to a minor muscle injury sustained in training. After sitting out the 2-0 victory at Anfield, there’s now a chance he may also be unavailable for Sunday’s crucial encounter.

“It’s going to be close,” Slot remarked, acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding Jones’ recovery. “It’s always difficult to predict how an injury will evolve over the week.”

Despite the uncertainty, Slot emphasized that the injury is not severe and expressed confidence that Jones will do everything he can to be ready. “He won’t be out for long, but it will be close for him to be here next week. But I’m quite sure he will try to do everything to be ready for next week. It’s not a big injury.”

While Jones has yet to make an appearance this season, Wataru Endo has seen limited action, coming off the bench late against Brentford after being left out of the squad at Ipswich. The Japan international was displaced in the starting lineup by Ryan Gravenberch but could still feature at Old Trafford, as Slot remains confident in Endo’s role within the squad.

Slot explained the reasoning behind Endo’s limited playtime, citing the intense competition for midfield positions. “It’s not always about the player himself but the competition he faces. We have many good midfielders and are really pleased with how Wata is training for us, but he has some good competition, and I think you saw today a good performance from all three midfielders.”

He further emphasized that Endo’s limited appearances are not a reflection of his ability but rather the strength of the midfield options available to Liverpool this season. Slot assured that Endo will be an important player for the team throughout the season, noting the challenges of a long campaign in English football. “It’s not always about him; it’s also about the others. But he will be important for us during the season as we need all of them. We all know how long a season can be over here and how many players we need.”

As Liverpool prepares for their showdown with Manchester United, the fitness of Curtis Jones and the role of Wataru Endo will be key talking points, with both players eager to contribute in what promises to be a pivotal match.