Arne Slot “hopes and expects” Jeremie Frimpong to play a crucial role as Liverpool take on Eintracht Frankfurt – with the head coach explaining his confusing lineup.
Slot has made five changes for the trip to Frankfurt with Frimpong, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike all coming in.
It means Ekitike and Alexander Isak start together for the first time, but with Mohamed Salah dropping to the bench and Cody Gakpo retained, there is no recognised right winger.
While Slot did not give everything away in his pre-match interview with TNT Sports, he suggested that Frimpong will be given the freedom of the right flank – even if he starts as a right-back.
Predicted Liverpool setup
Ekitike and Isak are “two No. 9s” and Gakpo is confirmed to be starting from the left as usual, while Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai are urged to “be a bit more defensive-minded.”
“What we need to try today again is create as many chances as we did the last few weeks, because then it’s very helpful that we have two players in the team who can score a goal,” Slot explained of his decision to start Ekitike and Isak.
“We are hoping and expecting Jeremie Frimpong to create something for these two from the right side and Cody Gakpo trying to do the same off the left, with Florian Wirtz‘s creativity in and around our two No. 9s.
“So yeah, that is – looking at how [Frankfurt] normally set up – the idea.
"They can play together, they have shown this…"
Arne Slot believes Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike can create a fruitful strike partnership for Liverpool ???
? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/xIfZeHZyuF
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 22, 2025
“They can play together, they showed this against United, but it does mean that our midfield needs to be structured a little bit differently.
“So where we usually play with maybe one No. 6 now we need Curtis and Dom to be a bit more defensive-minded than one of the two usually is.”
As he continued his interview Slot implied that he would embrace the chaotic attacking play witnessed in the second half of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Man United.
Liverpool ended that game with Wirtz, Ekitike, Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Gakpo and Federico Chiesa all effectively playing in the final third, with Chiesa assisting Gakpo soon after coming on.
“Every time I select the team it’s always difficult, because I have so many good players,” Slot explained.
“That’s also the reason why I use these players.
“I liked the way we ended the game against United, mainly the second half, we created a lot of chances.
“And Ryan is out, so that means we have to restructure our midfield a little bit as well, offensively and defensively.
“So, together with the way Frankfurt usually plays, we decided to start like this.
“But as always I have players to start the game and I have players to impact the game coming off the bench. That’s today as well.”
Fan Comments