Against Bournemouth in the opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season, rapid Liverpool right back Jeremie Frimpong was taken off in the second half as a precautionary measure after the player felt tightness in his hamstring.
With fellow right back Connor Bradley already out with a hamstring strain, it meant first Wataru Endo and then—rather more successfully—Joe Gomez taking over the position. Manager Arne Slot may now have to deal with the same selection headache against Newcastle on Monday.
Following reports early in the week detailing the issue, there are now whispers that Frimpong is considered a doubt to be ready to go in time for Liverpool’s next league game.
“It wasn’t out of luxury,” Slot said after the match on Friday about his decision to remove Frimpong. “Jeremie felt his hamstring at half-time and our other fullback, Conor Bradley, is already injured so you don’t want to take the risk of losing another.”
Hopefully even if Frimpong isn’t ready to go against Newcastle, that decision to remove him from the action quickly will mean his hamstring issue is a minor one instead of an injury that could drag into weeks or months.
If he’s fit enough, it seems clear Gomez would be the top option to fill in for Frimpong and Bradley, but with Gomez himself having missed pre-season due to injury there will be obvious questions about his match fitness and ability to go the fully 90 if he does start.
