Liverpool’s new season has only just begun under Arne Slot, but already the story is filled with twists, tension and frustration. For a club that has gone through so much change in recent months, losing a legendary manager, saying goodbye to iconic players and welcoming new faces, the hope was to build stability quickly. But football rarely gives what you hope for, and Liverpool’s early weeks of the 2025/26 campaign have been marked by a problem that feels cruelly familiar: injuries. The name at the center of this drama is Jeremie Frimpong, the Netherlands international who arrived in the summer with the responsibility of replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold. His injury has not only disrupted the plan for Liverpool’s defence but also raised bigger questions about how the team will cope in a season where every point and every moment matters.
It all began with what seemed like a normal Premier League opening game against Bournemouth. The excitement around Anfield was huge. A new manager in Slot, a new right-back in Frimpong, and new energy running through the team. Supporters had their eyes fixed on the Dutchman, curious to see if he could really step into the shoes of a player like Alexander-Arnold, who had been the club’s heartbeat for years before his move to Real Madrid. For 60 minutes, Frimpong showed flashes of his talent. His pace, his willingness to push forward, his energy tracking back. But then came the moment that changed everything. He slowed down suddenly, holding his leg, and immediately there was worry. The medical team rushed in, and Slot was forced into a decision. It wasn’t about tactics anymore, it was about health. The hamstring had tightened, and Liverpool’s new signing had to be taken off.
At the time, Slot explained that it was not about Frimpong’s performance. He was clear that the medical staff made the right call. If they had left him on the pitch, the damage could have been worse. Instead, he would miss the next few games but should return after the international break. That might sound like good news, but for Liverpool fans, it was a heavy blow. This was supposed to be their new right-back, the man to give balance and security to the defence while also adding a new attacking spark. Now, just as the season was getting underway, he was gone from the lineup. The timing could not have been worse.
Liverpool’s fixture list did not give them any time to breathe. After Bournemouth, they faced Newcastle United and Arsenal, two teams with ambitions of their own. Without Frimpong, Arne Slot had to make an unusual call. He placed Dominik Szoboszlai, a natural midfielder, into the right-back role. For many, it seemed like a risk, but Szoboszlai’s spirit and determination shone through. Against Arsenal, he even scored a stunning goal, a reminder of his quality and his courage to embrace any challenge. But even with that moment of brilliance, everyone knew this was not a permanent solution. A midfielder playing as a full-back could work for a match or two, but in the long run, Liverpool need stability. They need Frimpong fit and ready. They need options like Conor Bradley to grow into the role. Without it, the balance of the team remains unsettled.
This is why the injury feels bigger than just one absence. It has become a symbol of the challenges Liverpool are facing in this new era. They are still adapting to Slot’s style, still finding their rhythm after the emotional departure of Jürgen Klopp, still searching for the right combinations in midfield and defence. Every injury feels heavier now because the team does not yet have the depth of understanding and chemistry to absorb the blow. Every time a key player goes missing, the system has to be adjusted. Every change pulls them back from the momentum they are trying to build.
The fans feel it too. Supporters who were eager to see Frimpong’s energy on the right flank now have to wait. Some already whisper about bad luck. Others question whether the club should have moved faster in the market to add another option. The debate grows because of the context: Liverpool are not just chasing league points. They are also preparing for another Champions League campaign, with the group stage bringing tough battles and emotional reunions, including the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Anfield in a Real Madrid shirt. To face nights like that without their first-choice right-back adds to the sense of unease.
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Slot himself has tried to stay calm. In his press conferences, he praised the medical team for protecting Frimpong from worse injury. He reassured supporters that the player should return after the international break, fit and ready. He emphasized that it is part of football, part of the unpredictable nature of the game. But no matter how calm he sounds, the reality is clear: he needs Frimpong. His system depends on players who can press, overlap, and carry the ball forward. Without him, there is a missing link. The improvisation can work in the short term, but Liverpool’s ambitions demand more.
For Frimpong, this injury is also deeply frustrating. A young man arriving at a new club wants nothing more than to show his ability, to win over the fans, to make an immediate impact. To instead spend the opening weeks on the sidelines is not the dream he imagined. But this is also a test of character. Injuries can break a player’s confidence or make him stronger. If Frimpong comes back determined, sharper, and hungrier, then this pause might actually prepare him for a bigger role in the months ahead. He has to learn quickly what it means to wear the Liverpool shirt, the pressure that comes with it, and the resilience it demands.
Liverpool’s medical team will be working hard to ensure his recovery goes smoothly. The hamstring is one of the most delicate areas for footballers. Rushing back too soon risks a repeat, which could then keep him out for much longer. That is why Slot accepted the advice to take him off. That is why the club is patient, even though the supporters are restless. The hope is that after the break, Frimpong will return stronger, ready to contribute to a season that will test every part of this squad.
In the meantime, Liverpool must adapt. Players like Szoboszlai and Bradley must step up. The defence must hold firm. The midfield must support more. And the forwards must keep scoring, because while the right-back position struggles, the attack has to carry more of the burden. This is how great teams survive setbacks. They adjust. They find solutions. They do not crumble at the first sign of trouble. This is what Arne Slot will demand from his men. And this is what the supporters expect, because Liverpool Football Club is built on resilience.
But even as they fight, the thought of Frimpong’s return lingers in everyone’s mind. The countdown to his comeback has already begun. Every training update will be followed closely. Every hint of progress will bring excitement. Because Liverpool need him not just as a defender, but as a symbol of their new era. If he can return strong, if he can show the quality that made the club chase him from Leverkusen, then maybe this difficult start will soon be forgotten. Maybe his journey at Liverpool will begin again, this time with more determination and more belief.
Until then, the injury list is a reminder that football is never simple. Suspensions, knocks, fatigue – all of these things will shape Liverpool’s season. Frimpong’s story is just the first chapter of what promises to be a long and emotional campaign. Supporters must be patient, the squad must be united, and the manager must be creative. Because in the world of football, it is not the problems that define you, but how you respond to them. And Liverpool, with their history of fighting against the odds, know this better than anyone.
For now, they wait. They wait for the international break to pass. They wait for Frimpong to step back onto the pitch. They wait for the team to settle into Slot’s vision. And above all, they wait for the moment when this new Liverpool begins to show its true strength. Because this club, this city, has never been about easy journeys. It has always been about fighting back, about rising when others doubt, about finding hope in the hardest times. Frimpong’s injury may be a setback, but in the long story of Liverpool, it could also be the spark that reminds them once again what it means to never walk alone.
