Liverpool boss Arne Slot quashes key player availability fears after personal issue and Anfield absence

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 4: Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili of Liverpool looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Athletic Club Bilbao at Anfield on August 4, 2025 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

Liverpool's Georgian back-up goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool's 2025/26 campaign kicks off a weekend earlier than most other Premier League clubs due to their participation in this season's FA Community Shield.

The Premier League champions face FA Cup winners Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium this Sunday in what will be a precursor to the new season.

Liverpool have won the Community Shield on 16 previous occasions, meanwhile Crystal Palace's only major silverware in the club's history was their FA Cup triumph over Manchester City last term.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot offers Alisson and Virgil van Dijk fitness update

Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Alisson (C) dives to punch the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) and Liverpool (ENG) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on March 5, 2025. — Alisson Becker dives to punch the ball (Image credit: GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP via Getty Images)

Reds supporters have been somewhat fearful in recent days due to the absence of a string of key players from Liverpool's friendly fixtures.

Virgil van Dijk - ranked as FourFourTwo's no.1 centre-back in the world currently - sat out the friendly double-header versus Athletic Club on Monday evening due to illness, while Slot has admitted it will be a close call on the availability of defensive duo Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has welcomed four new faces to the club so far — Arne Slot speaks to the media (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool's title defence begins against Bournemouth on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, but Slot is hopeful of having first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker back in time for the team's Cherries preparations.

Brazilian stopper Alisson returned home from Liverpool's pre-season tour of the Far East prematurely due to a personal matter, understood to have been his wife undergoing surgery.

The couple posted a photo on social media following the successful procedure, meanwhile, Slot believes the 32-year-old will be available for Liverpool's upcoming fixtures versus Palace and Bournemouth.

“Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley, it’s going to be tight. Alisson will be back in time as well,” the Dutchman said, via liverpoolfc.com, ahead of the club's two victories versus LaLiga side Athletic Club.

Conor Bradley playing for Liverpool against West Ham United, April 2025. — Bradley is a recent doubt (Image credit: Alamy)

In Alisson's absence, new signing Giorgi Mamardashvili deputised for the Reds during the more senior of the two XIs' 3-2 victory against Athletic, as was the case in Liverpool's win versus Yokohama F. Marinos whilst out in Japan.

The Reds travel to Newcastle for their second match of the season after an opening night test against Bournemouth.

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Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.

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