Liverpool offer fresh injury update on Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alisson ahead of crunch clash with West Ham

It's been a diabolical few months for Liverpool, the defence of the Premier League crown is already in tatters and they face an uphill battle to secure an automatic qualification place in the Champions League. High-profile summer signings have failed to integrate into the team and defensive frailties have been their Achilles heel in a series of demoralising defeats, culminating in the 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. Liverpool were without goalkeeper Alisson who pulled out with illness, marquee £116 million signing Wirtz missed out after picking up an injury while on international duty and there were worrying scenes as Ekitike hobbled off on the hour against PSV. 

But Slot has been able to offer a glimmer of hope for Reds fans ahead of the trip to east London.

Slot told reporters at a pre-match press conference: "Ali (Becker) trained again with the team today, so we hope and expect him to be available at the weekend. Florian will have his final day of rehab tomorrow. So, if that all goes well, he could train with the team on Saturday." 

And on Ekitike, he added: "They (medical staff) don't expect that it has to be a big issue, but the games come fast so let's see for the weekend. But it shouldn't have to be a big issue." 

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Just hours after watching his team be dismantled at Anfield by PSV the Dutch boss spoke with the press and was confident his job was safe after having discussions with Liverpool hierarchy. He told reporters: "We've had the same conversations that we've had since I got here. We fight on. We try to improve, but the conversations have been the same as they have been for the last one and a half years." 

When pressed on what he can change to stop the rot, Slot added: "That's not so easy to say. It's normal to reflect on a game with decisions you have made. Maybe you do it a little bit more if you lose. In the end, it's about doing what this club is about. Keep fighting no matter how difficult it is. It would be nice if we reward ourselves in the moments we play well. People are focused on the parts we don't play well but there are large parts where we do play well."

Such is Liverpool's form that hosts West Ham, who are languishing in 17th place, will believe they have the chance to land three points against the Merseysiders on Sunday afternoon. The Hammers have begun to turn a corner under boss Nuno Espirito Santo and are unbeaten in their last three matches. Meanwhile, the Reds have lost each of their last five away league games against London sides, as many as in their previous 31. 

But Slot has remained tight-lipped on whether he will make wholesale changes for the match, saying: "Everyone trains with us every single day, and they can prove themselves in that moment. It's always a balance. There was a period where I lost, and I made a few changes and people complained that I made too many changes. Of course, I consider but I can not tell you the end decision of what I've considered for Sunday."

Anything other than a victory for Slot on Sunday will pile even more pressure on the beleaguered boss ahead of a midweek visit from Sunderland in the Premier League.