I’ll be straight with you—Liverpool’s recent run has left plenty of us scratching our heads. Three straight defeats for the first time under Arne Slot, and suddenly an Anfield date with Manchester United feels less like a chance to make a statement and more like an early-season gut check. I won’t lie, I’ve been a bit on edge about the injury chatter doing the rounds, especially with the Reds carrying more bumps and bruises than any of us would like. That’s why the latest update from the manager feels like a small but genuine relief ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Manchester United.

The big positive is Ryan Gravenberch. The Dutch midfielder was taken off at half-time during the Netherlands’ 4-0 win over Finland last weekend, and when a player leaves a game early, especially with a hamstring niggle, the mind instantly goes to the worst-case scenario. Gravenberch himself said the substitution was precautionary, and Arne Slot has now confirmed that his compatriot will be available to face Manchester United at Anfield. Fingers crossed, that means the engine room keeps one of its most important pieces for a fixture that always carries a little extra heat.

There is also good news on Ibrahima Konate. The French defender ended his international duty early after being taken off late in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea with a quad problem. Konate did not feature for France during the break, despite joining up with the national squad. He was named on the bench for France’s 3-0 win over Azerbaijan, but then returned home at the weekend and was not involved in the 2-2 draw with Iceland on Monday. Slot says Konate is expected to rejoin training today, which should give Liverpool a much-needed physical presence at the back if he is deemed ready.

Let’s be real, though—this injury bug has been far too comfortable at Liverpool’s doorstep lately. Alisson is still sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury in the 1-0 Champions League defeat to Galatasaray earlier this month. The Brazilian has not featured for club or country since. Summer arrival Giorgi Mamardashvili is expected to deputise in goal against Manchester United, which would be his fourth appearance of the season. Losing Alisson always hurts, but Liverpool brought Mamardashvili in for exactly these moments, and the Georgian goalkeeper will need to show why the club invested in him.

The news is less kind for Giovanni Leoni. The Italian central defender, a new signing, tore his ACL during Liverpool’s 2-1 EFL Cup win over Southampton and is expected to miss at least a year. In practical terms, that means his 2025/26 campaign is already over. It is a brutal blow for the player and a frustrating one for the squad, especially at a time when defensive depth has become a genuine concern.

Below is a quick look at where things stand with the main names in Liverpool’s treatment room right now:

According to journalist Paul Hirst, Slot confirmed Gravenberch’s availability and shared the positive update on Konate during his pre-match briefing. For Liverpool, that is about as encouraging as the news gets after a stretch in which the team fell to consecutive defeats against Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea. That triple blow was the first time Liverpool had lost three in a row since Slot took over last year, so the pressure to stop the slide is very real.

I keep coming back to the midfield, because that is where Liverpool have looked most vulnerable when Gravenberch is not at full tilt. His ability to carry the ball through pressure, break lines and cover ground gives the team a different rhythm. If he truly is ready, even if slightly managed, that changes how Slot can set up against Manchester United. The same goes for Konate. When he is present, Liverpool’s back line looks more assured, more aggressive in duels and less easy to unsettle. Without him, there has been an awkwardness, especially against quick transitions.

There is still plenty of concern heading into a game of this magnitude, and Anfield will hold its breath a little until the teamsheet drops. The goalkeeper situation alone is enough to make supporters nervous, because replacing Alisson is never a simple task, even with a talent like Mamardashvili waiting in the wings. But the fact that Gravenberch should be available and Konate is back in training at least gives the squad a better foundation than many of us expected a few days ago.

I would not call it perfect, but it is something. Liverpool need a response after three straight defeats, and getting two key players back into the frame, even partially, could be the spark that helps them turn the page. Manchester United at Anfield always brings its own pressure, but if the Reds can weather the injury storm and find a bit of rhythm again, this weekend might just be the moment the slide stops. Touch wood, the worst of the treatment-room headaches is finally behind them.

Insights are sourced from GamesIndustry.biz, and while it focuses on the wider sports-and-entertainment business, its reporting regularly underlines how fixture congestion and international breaks amplify injury risk and squad-rotation demands—context that fits Liverpool’s current situation as Slot weighs Gravenberch’s workload, monitors Konate’s return-to-training, and leans on squad depth with Alisson still out ahead of the Manchester United test.