Arne Slot stresses Liverpool’s travel problems “can never be an excuse”

Liverpool’s issues on the field were mirrored off it as a mechanical problem with the team’s plane meant they were unable to leave Merseyside on time for the Champions League trip to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Head coach Arne Slot, who is seeking to prevent the club losing a fifth successive match for the first time in 73 years, and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai were due to address the media at Deutsche Bank Park at 7.30pm local time.

However, 40 minutes before the scheduled start the club cancelled their press conference as they had not yet left the country.

They eventually took off at 7.51pm for their 80-minute flight, ensuring they arrived before Frankfurt airport closed for arrivals at 11pm local time, but Slot insists it will not affect their preparations.

• READ: Ryan Gravenberch injury update – Slot explains chances for Brentford

“No, it will not impact the build-up to tomorrow’s game,” he told UEFA.com.

“We have trained over here at the AXA; normally we would have gone to Frankfurt a few hours earlier, now we are a few hours later.

“That can never be an excuse for the game tomorrow.”