‘It wasn’t an injury’ – Arne Slot reveals why Jarell Quansah was forced to play against Tottenham
Liverpool manager Arne Slot explained that Jarell Quansah was forced to play against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday after suffering from illness and chest pains.
The 21-year-old central defender was given a rare start by Slot in the middle of the week Carabao Cup semi-final away to Spurs, but it only lasted 30 minutes a 1-0 defeat before falling to the turf and asking for a substitution.
A narrow equalizer was already halted inside the opening ten minutes after Rodrigo Bentancur required extensive medical attention following a worrying collapse. The Spurs midfielder quickly announced a positive updatebut Quansah’s absence is not an injury problem.
“Jarell wasn’t feeling very well,” Slot revealed after the game. “From the moment the game started to the moment we had to take him off, he felt a bit of pressure, I think he said on his chest.
“I have to ask him exactly, but he said he wasn’t feeling well. It wasn’t an injury. He was a little sick the last few days, but we thought he was coming back. Maybe that had something to do with him.”
Liverpool had Ibrahim Konate on the bench, but Slot left his starting centre-back on the bench until the second half, instead turning to defensive midfielder Wataru Endo as Quansah’s replacement. Konate has just returned from a long absence own and may not be risked for Liverpool’s upcoming FA Cup third round tie against Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
Slot could be tempted to ring in the changes to host a side hovering just above the League Two relegation zone. Virgil van Dijk it is unlikely to take any chances and Joe Gomez remains on the sidelines injuryleaving Liverpool with few defensive options, especially if Quansah is not healthy enough to feature. Endo could be forced to field a rotated backline alongside academy talent such as highly-rated 18-year-old Amara Nallo on Saturday.
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