Jurgen Klopp Confirms Dominik Szoboszlai’s Setback: Misses Arsenal Clash with Reaggravated Injury

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has disclosed that Dominik Szoboszlai has suffered a setback in his recovery, reaggravating the hamstring injury that had kept him sidelined for a significant part of January. The Hungary captain initially sustained the hamstring problem during Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over Newcastle on New Year’s Day.

Szoboszlai made a return to action last Sunday in the FA Cup fixture against Norwich, coming on as a second-half substitute during Liverpool’s 5-1 win at Anfield. However, his comeback proved short-lived, as the midfielder, who started in Wednesday’s game against Chelsea, is set to miss Sunday’s crucial clash against Arsenal due to a recurrence of the same hamstring issue.

Providing insights into Szoboszlai’s situation, Klopp explained, “Dom felt in the same area, or pretty much a similar area, to where he was injured before. Not in the game, he was fine, and then after the game [he felt it] slightly so we had a look at it, and there was now no chance for him to be involved in this game.”

“We cannot take any risk. We have to wait for further assessment but it was clear that he cannot be involved today. That’s it, pretty much.”

Klopp emphasized the need to avoid any risks with Szoboszlai’s fitness, stating that further assessment would be conducted to determine the extent of the setback. The setback adds to Liverpool’s injury concerns but highlights the club’s cautious approach in managing players’ fitness.

In Szoboszlai’s absence, Ryan Gravenberch has been named as the replacement as Liverpool aims to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table with a win against Arsenal. The setback for Szoboszlai underscores the challenges teams face in navigating a congested fixture schedule and managing player injuries effectively.