Merseyside derby: Nine players could miss Liverpool vs Everton as Arne Slot handed huge headache…

Liverpool vs. Everton clash could see nine players sidelined, creating a substantial issue for Arne Slot.

Arne Slot is dealing with a considerable headache as nine players could be out for the Liverpool vs. Everton fixture.

Nine players may be unavailable for the Liverpool vs. Everton match as Arne Slot faces a significant challenge in finalizing his lineup.

Arne Slot faces a major dilemma as nine players might be absent for the upcoming Liverpool vs. Everton game.

Liverpool will welcome Everton to Anfield for the Merseyside Derby on Wednesday night, and the combination of the international break and injuries has left Slot with much to consider.

The injury situation has created a dilemma for Liverpool ahead of the derby against Everton. After a 16-day hiatus following their defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, Slot’s team is eager to bounce back.

The international break has allowed Liverpool to reflect on their 2-1 loss at Wembley, and their primary objective now is to secure the Premier League title.

The Reds currently enjoy a 12-point advantage over second-placed Arsenal with nine matches left, starting with the clash against Everton mid-week.

This encounter comes just 49 days after the previous Merseyside Derby, where James Tarkowski scored a dramatic equalizer for Everton in injury time at Goodison Park.

Fortunately for Slot, the international break has been relatively uneventful, with both Alisson Becker and Ryan Gravenberch expected to be available despite their recent withdrawals from national duty.

Alisson suffered a concussion while representing Brazil against Colombia, which sidelined him for the second World Cup qualifier.

However, after evaluation by Liverpool’s medical team, he is anticipated to be fit for the match against Everton.

Gravenberch withdrew from the Netherlands squad due to a minor issue but is also expected to be ready to play.

Nonetheless, Slot faces a pressing concern at right-back, as Trent Alexander-Arnold (ankle) and both Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez (hamstring) are confirmed to be out due to injuries.

Alexander-Arnold sustained an injury during the 1-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain on March 11, which kept him from participating in England’s victories over Albania and Latvia.

He is anticipated to make a comeback later in April.

His absence, along with that of his backup Bradley and fellow right-back Gomez, is likely to pave the way for Jarell Quansah to start. The only other Liverpool player unavailable is Tyler Morton.

David Moyes is also facing challenges, particularly regarding the fitness of left-back Vitalii Mykolenko, who encountered a thigh issue while on international duty with Ukraine this week.

Mykolenko had to leave the field during the second half of Ukraine’s 3-0 Nations League defeat to Belgium, and head coach Serhiy Rebrov provided a concerning update after the match.

“Unfortunately, he has an injury. He will undergo an MRI,” he stated. “We’ll see. I know Vitalii well. If he didn’t continue playing, then the injury must be quite serious.”

On March 19, Moyes discussed the status of key forwards Dwight McNeil, Illiman Ndiaye, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. “I don’t expect any of them to return after the [international] break,” he mentioned.

“However, having Dwight, Ili, and Dom back would be beneficial for us.”

McNeil has been sidelined since a 4-0 win against Wolves in December, where he aggravated a knee injury, while Ndiaye suffered medial ligament damage to his knee during the first derby.

Both players are in contention to face Liverpool after returning to training, but Calvert-Lewin remains out due to a thigh injury, and midfielder Orel Mangala is unavailable because of an anterior cruciate ligament injury.