Arne Slot believes he has other options at right-back beyond likely stand-in Jarell Quansah, naming two other solutions to Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s absence.
Quansah is widely expected to start during Alexander-Arnold’s time out with an ankle injury, with Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez also sidelined.
That is due to begin with the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, though speaking in his pre-match press conference, Slot suggested he had other options to consider.
“I think maybe even Curtis can play there,” he told reporters when asked if it was a straight choice between Quansah and Wataru Endo.
“And you can also play with a left-footed defender on the right side, which is what Newcastle are doing at the moment on the opposite [side].”
As Slot referenced, with Newcastle now without their first-choice left-back in Lewis Hall, manager Eddie Howe has turned to right-back Tino Livramento to fill in.
In the reverse situation at Liverpool that would imply that either Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas could be considered for a stint at right-back.
That is certainly less likely than Quansah filling in during the absence of both Alexander-Arnold and Bradley, neither of whom are expected back until April at the very least.
But it is clear that Slot and his staff have been weighing up alternatives, perhaps knowing that Quansah cannot start every game and that he too could pick up a fitness issue.
Curtis Jones, now a natural midfielder who came through the academy as a winger, does have experience at right-back, including when captaining Liverpool in the 3-1 win over Leicester in the Carabao Cup in September 2023.
However as one of four regular starters in Slot’s three-man midfield, he should be viewed as an emergency option at this point.
James McConnell has also been used as a right-back, starting in that role in the 1-0 loss to Plymouth in the FA Cup only to quickly shift back to midfield after Joe Gomez‘s early injury.
But it is clear that none are as suited to the role as Quansah – perhaps bar Endo, who was a career centre-back before leaving Japan for Germany as well as playing 15 times at right-back for Urawa Red Diamonds.
“He did really well the last few times he had to play for us, even in a position he’s not completely used to as a right full-back,” Slot said of Quansah.
“In my opinion he also has the qualities to play in that position. He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s very comfortable with the ball.
“And it gives us an extra quality if we play him, as we saw [against PSG], in terms of set-pieces – because he was the one that was this far away from us qualifying for the next round, by heading the ball on the post.”
