Liverpool injury update: Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni latest news and return dates ahead of Brighton match…

Liverpool Injury Update: Latest on Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, and Federico Chiesa’s Return Dates

The Reds are facing an increasing number of injuries ahead of their match against Brighton.

Liverpool has encountered a new injury concern just before their Premier League clash with Brighton.

Alexander Isak returned to the starting eleven for Wednesday’s loss to Inter Milan at the San Siro, but he may not be able to start again on Saturday due to a new issue.

Despite this setback, the 1-0 win was a significant boost for the Reds, who have struggled to secure victories this season. This win elevated them to ninth place in the Champions League standings, positioning them well to avoid the dreaded knockout play-offs.

The Merseysiders have faced considerable challenges this season, and their situation worsened when star forward Mohamed Salah expressed that he felt the club had “thrown me under a bus” following a bombshell injury after last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Leeds.

However, Slot has since lost additional forwards, and with that in mind, here is the latest information on Liverpool’s injuries and expected return dates…

Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak has been sidelined for a significant portion of his time at Liverpool and has now sustained yet another injury.

As Liverpool prepares for their Premier League encounter with Brighton, Slot disclosed that Isak suffered a knock during the first half against Inter Milan.

It does not appear to be a serious injury, as he managed to play 68 minutes of the match before being substituted for Florian Wirtz.

Slot indicated that he might be available for the Brighton match, but noted that he may not be ready to start at Anfield: “Alex got a knock in the first half, so let’s see if he is able to start tomorrow.”

Expected return date: Saturday, December 13, vs Brighton (H)

Cody Gakpo

Cody Gakpo was unexpectedly absent from Liverpool’s training session on Monday and was subsequently not included in the squad that traveled to Italy.

During the press conference, Slot confirmed that the Dutch player is expected to be out for a period.

Slot mentioned: “Cody Gakpo unfortunately sustained an injury during our last match against Leeds, and he will be sidelined for several weeks.”

Gakpo’s absence may lead Slot to pair Hugo Ekitike with Alexander Isak in the attack, similar to their strike partnership against Eintracht Frankfurt a few months back.

Expected return date: Unknown

Federico Chiesa

Alongside Gakpo, Federico Chiesa did not accompany the Liverpool team to Italy due to illness.

Interestingly, Slot indicated that the Italian might still join the squad a few hours before the match – although he emphasized that this is unlikely.

“Federico is unwell, so you could say the timing is unfortunate. However, it’s beyond our control,” the Dutchman explained during the pre-match press conference.

He later confirmed that Chiesa has returned to training and will be available to face the Seagulls: “[Chiesa] is no longer ill, he trained yesterday and will train again today, so I expect he will be ready.”

Expected return date: Saturday, December 13, vs Brighton (H)

Jeremie Frimpong

The absence of Bradley has made Jeremie Frimpong’s situation even more significant, depriving Liverpool of a natural right-sided full-back.

Joe Gomez has stepped into that role in recent weeks, prior to Bradley’s return against Leeds.

Frimpong, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, has been hindered by another hamstring injury sustained during the 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in October.

However, on November 21, Slot mentioned that Frimpong would be out for “just as long” as Bradley at that time, suggesting a few more weeks on the sidelines.

Jeremie Frimpong is approaching a return to full fitness.

Now, it seems we might see the former Manchester City and Celtic player back in action soon – possibly against Brighton – depending on Slot’s updates this week.

Last week, he expressed optimism that Frimpong would return to first-team training in the upcoming week.

Expected return date: Saturday, December 13, against Brighton (H)

Giovanni Leoni

Frimpong’s fellow summer signing has had a disappointing beginning to his time on Merseyside.

Leoni sustained an ACL injury during his debut at Anfield in the Carabao Cup match against Southampton in September, and he is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season.

“He is understandably not in a good place, as he has torn his ACL, which will keep him out for a year,” Slot commented regarding the young Italian. “Being so young, moving to a new country, and performing well in your first match… it’s tough to focus on the positives.

“There’s rarely a silver lining – yet we always strive to find one, and the fact that he is still very young means he has many years ahead of him after recovering from such a serious injury.”

Expected return date: Late 2026