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Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final could prove decisive in determining whether Liverpool salvage their season or see their final realistic shot at silverware slip away.
With a daunting Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain looming, hopes of European success also hang in the balance.
Liverpool have struggled for consistency this season, suffering defeat at the Etihad in November and collapsing late on against Manchester City at Anfield in February.
City will start as favourites, but Liverpool remain capable of producing big performances when least expected. Arne Slot is optimistic that Mohamed Salah and Federico Chiesa will be available for the trip to face City.
Salah missed the defeat at Brighton with a muscle injury and did not join up with Egypt, while Chiesa withdrew from the Italy squad.
Jeremie Frimpong will be assessed after coming off in the Netherlands’ draw with Ecuador, while Alisson Becker remains sidelined through injury.
Asked by Liverpoolfc.com on Wednesday how close Salah is to a return, Slot said: “Close, very close. Another example of what makes him special because the moment he got injured there was a bit of a situation where they thought, ‘I don’t think he’s available for City.’ But Mo looked at me and said, ‘I think I will be available for City.’
“He just does so much for his body for such a long time that he recovers so fast. So, he will train with the team again tomorrow and if everything works well then he’s available to be with us at City.”
Slot continued: “Jeremie, the national team doctor of the Netherlands tells us that it was precautionary that they took him out. But he will have a scan later today to see.
“Alisson will be out for a bit longer. And Federico indeed came back from the national team, where he wasn’t able to play. But he trained with us today, so he will train with us tomorrow again and will be available for the game on the weekend.”
Alexander Isak is set to return to team training with Liverpool on Thursday as he steps up his recovery from an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture.
The striker has been sidelined since December after undergoing surgery on an issue sustained while scoring in a win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Meanwhile, Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remain long-term absentees and are not expected to return before the end of the season.
Endo suffered an ankle injury in a win over Sunderland in February, while Leoni and Bradley are recovering from ACL injuries that required surgery.
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