The international break always brings a kind of tension, a kind of hidden fear, for every Premier League manager. It does not matter if you are the coach of Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, or even Liverpool, that moment when the club season pauses and your players pack their bags to travel across the globe to represent their countries is always filled with worry. Managers smile in press conferences, they wish their players good luck, but deep down they are praying, they are hoping, that everyone will come back safe, healthy, and ready to continue the battles of domestic football. Because no matter how strong a team is, an injury at the wrong moment can change everything.
Arne Slot knows this feeling very well. The new Liverpool manager has already started to learn the rollercoaster nature of English football. Just weeks into the new Premier League season, he has already felt the pressure of leading one of the biggest clubs in world football. Liverpool is not a team where you can hide. Every win is celebrated loudly, but every mistake is magnified even louder. Yet, heading into this international break, Slot had reasons to smile. His Liverpool side had won all three of their opening games. Nine points out of nine. A perfect start. And not just the points, but the way they were collected. The team had shown hunger, fight, and a winning mentality that reminded fans of the great Jurgen Klopp days.
Their last game before the break was against Arsenal at Anfield. The stadium was electric, the fans were in full voice, and the match itself was tense, cagey, and dramatic. Arsenal came determined, Liverpool stood firm, and in the end, it was a moment of magic that decided the game. Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian midfield maestro, stepped up and curled in a free-kick that sent the Kop into a frenzy. A 1-0 win, a statement victory, and the kind of result that makes you believe this Liverpool side could challenge anyone this season.
But even in that victory, Slot had reasons to worry. Ibrahima Konaté, the powerful French defender, limped off towards the closing stages. The sight of him walking gingerly was enough to send shivers through the Liverpool faithful. Konaté is not just any player; he is one of the pillars of the defense, the man trusted to stand tall alongside Virgil van Dijk. Losing him, even for a short period, could have been a disaster. Yet, despite the scare, Konaté was later called up for France duty. He featured for Didier Deschamps’ side, and Liverpool breathed a sigh of relief. But Slot, sitting in his office at Kirkby training centre, must have been watching every tackle, every run, every jump, praying silently that Konaté would not suffer another setback.
That is the reality of international breaks. For club managers, it is like sending your most expensive and most valuable treasures to be borrowed by others. You cannot control how much they play, how they are used, or even the pitches they play on. All you can do is hope that they come back in one piece.
For Liverpool, this particular break has brought mixed emotions. On one side, Konaté’s involvement with France showed that his knock was not serious. But on the other side, there was still a big concern surrounding Jeremie Frimpong. The flying Dutch full-back had missed Liverpool’s last two games with injury. Frimpong had quickly become a key player under Slot, his energy, pace, and attacking instincts offering Liverpool something different on the right side. His absence had been felt. Slot confirmed that Frimpong would need two to three weeks to recover, which meant he was expected to return just in time for the game against Burnley after the break. Until then, Liverpool would have to cope without him.
And then there was the story of Alexander Isak. The Swedish striker, Liverpool’s blockbuster £125m signing from Newcastle, had already shown flashes of why the Reds broke the bank for him. Tall, elegant, clinical, and hungry, Isak had given Liverpool’s attack a new dimension. He had settled in quickly, his link-up play with Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz promising something special. But now, he too was off on international duty, wearing the yellow shirt of Sweden. Every Liverpool fan following his matches with Sweden was keeping their fingers crossed. Isak had already become a symbol of hope for the season, and the last thing Liverpool wanted was for their new star to return injured.
Slot’s Liverpool project is still in its early days, but the signs are positive. The team looks balanced, the new signings are fitting in, and most importantly, the spirit in the camp is strong. The players believe, the fans believe, and even the doubters are beginning to take notice. But all of this momentum, all of this excitement, could be thrown into chaos if injuries pile up. That is why international breaks are feared. They can take away your stars in the blink of an eye.
When players travel, they do not only face the risk of injuries in matches; there are also long flights, different training regimes, and sometimes heavy schedules with little rest. For example, South American players like Alisson Becker and Darwin Núñez often return to England after playing in faraway cities like Montevideo or São Paulo, having crossed multiple time zones. They come back exhausted, jet-lagged, and sometimes not at 100% fitness. Slot, like Klopp before him, knows he must manage this carefully. Rotation will be important, especially with the Champions League group stage about to begin.
And that is the wider picture for Liverpool this season. The Premier League is only one part of the battle. The Champions League, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup—all of these competitions demand energy, focus, and depth. Slot cannot afford to lose too many key players at once. The squad has been strengthened, yes, but football is cruel. One week you feel you have too many players, the next week you are scratching your head because half of them are on the treatment table.
This is why Liverpool fans are following the international break with nervous eyes. They know how quickly things can change. One mis-timed tackle in a friendly, one awkward landing on a poor pitch, and suddenly your season looks different. The scars of previous seasons are still fresh. They remember when Virgil van Dijk was injured for months. They remember when Thiago Alcântara and Diogo Jota missed crucial periods. Injuries have shaped Liverpool’s destiny before, and no one wants history to repeat itself.
For now, though, the Reds can take comfort in the fact that their start to the season has been excellent. Nine points from three games is no small achievement in the Premier League. The win against Arsenal has already sent a message to rivals that Liverpool are serious contenders. Slot has given the team fresh ideas, a different tactical approach, but he has also maintained the famous Liverpool fighting spirit. The players are buying into his philosophy, and the fans are standing firmly behind him.
When the break ends, Liverpool’s focus will turn to Burnley. On paper, it may look like a game they should win, but in the Premier League, nothing is guaranteed. Burnley are known to be stubborn, difficult, and dangerous, especially at home. Slot will need his best players fit and ready. That is why the sight of Frimpong returning, the hope of Isak staying sharp, and the relief over Konaté’s condition all matter so much.
The next few months will define Liverpool’s season. If they can stay fit, if their big players can remain healthy and available, there is no reason why they cannot challenge for trophies on all fronts. But that “if” is huge, and it is hanging over every international break.
In the end, international football is part of the game. Players love representing their countries. It gives them pride, honor, and joy. No manager wants to deny them that opportunity. But for Arne Slot and Liverpool, the international break will always be something to endure, something to survive. It is like walking through a storm—if you come out on the other side without too much damage, you can continue your journey stronger.
And so, as the world watches international fixtures in Europe, South America, Africa, and beyond, Liverpool fans are quietly hoping. Hoping that when the break is over, their heroes return in one piece. Hoping that the smiles and the momentum that carried them into the break will still be there when they face Burnley. Hoping that this season, finally, luck with injuries will be on their side. .Because if that happens, if Liverpool can combine talent with good fortune, then Arne Slot’s debut season might just become a story for the ages.
