Arne Slot reveals Liverpool injury update after new scare before Atletico Madrid clash

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·15 settembre 2025

Arne Slot reveals Liverpool injury update after new scare before Atletico Madrid clash

Reds boss explains why Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister both withdrawn early in last-gasp win over Burnley

Arne Slot has explained his decisions to substitute Liverpool duo Alexis Mac Allister and Milos Kerkez early at Burnley with matches against Atletico Madrid and Everton approaching.

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Both players started for the Reds on their return to Premier League action at Turf Moor on Sunday, where Mohamed Salah’s 95th-minute penalty following Hannibal Mejbri’s handball from a Jeremie Frimpong cross secured a dramatic last-gasp 1-0 win and kept their 100 per cent start to the new season intact.

But Slot had to make two early changes during a game in which his reigning top-flight champions struggled to break down a resolute defensive effort from the newly-promoted Clarets, who saw former Chelsea midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu sent off late on following yellow-card fouls on both Mac Allister and later Florian Wirtz.

Mac Allister was withdrawn at half-time in Lancashire having received lengthy treatment after that tackle by Ugochukwu and replaced by Conor Bradley as Dominik Szoboszlai shifted from right-back to his more natural home in midfield.

Painful blow: Alexis Mac Allister received lengthy treatment at Turf Moor before going off at half-time

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Meanwhile, summer signing Kerkez had already been substituted seven minutes before the break in favour of Andy Robertson at left-back, having been booked for simulation after trying to earn a penalty under pressure from Josh Laurent inside the Burnley box.

Asked about Mac Allister’s status after the game, Slot told reporters: “It is similar to Alex [Isak] but in a completely different way. He missed a lot of pre-season, so he is ready for one game a week, maybe [for] 70 to 90. He played 90 for Argentina [against Ecuador] and he was really tired after 70.

“He doesn’t have the right build-up towards playing three games a week for 90 minutes, so it was always sure today that I would take him off after 60 minutes for him to be able to be back on the pitch again on Wednesday and for him to be on Saturday back on the pitch again.

“I had already made one substitution in the first half, so if I then take him off at 60 minutes that would be my second one. If I then want to make [another on] 75 then in the end I can do nothing anymore.

“So, that combined with the fact the tackle was a tackle he felt – and I am not surprised by the fact he felt that tackle, by the way – it was a combination of both.

“He said it was fine and good enough to go on, although he limped a lot, so that was more his mentality I think than it was he could actually perform at his best for 15 minutes longer.

“So, the combination of him being injured and me not wanting to lose the second substitution after 60 minutes led to it – and us not playing so well, by the way. Bringing Dom [Szoboszlai] to the midfield, more players that can attack the box. So, a lot of arguments and [it was] partly tactical.”

Quizzed if Kerkez’s withdrawal was only due to his booking, Slot said: “Not only the yellow card but also that afterwards he played the ball, no foul at all, but the referee blew his whistle, which can always happen because this happens in football.

“But the reaction of the fans and I also saw players of them also trying to go to the referee [saying], ‘If you think this is a foul, maybe you should give a yellow for it.’ Which would have been ridiculous of course, but then it is a risk.

Short afternoon: Milos Kerkez was booked for simulation and replaced by Slot before the break

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“The only way we could lose this game is if we are down to 10 because with 11 v 11 we could have drawn it, but we could never have lost it because they have never been… in our 18-yard box.

“So, then the only way you can lose it is if we go down to 10 and I didn’t want to take that risk, which was hard for Milos because normally you don’t have to take a player off if he has a yellow before, but I felt this was the best choice to make.”

Kerkez’s antics were labelled as “stupid” by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports’ commentary, with Slot also admitting to the BBC on the change: “It was because he got a yellow card. I think the fans here thought a chance for them to win the game is if we ended up with a second yellow.

“With Milos I can never be 100 per cent he doesn't make the next foul, then the fans are on top of the referee. I thought the only way we could lose it today was if we went down to 10 men.”