John Aldridge: ‘Unbelievable’ Liverpool curse strikes again vs Sunderland
Liverpool were struck by a familiar occurrence during their 1-0 win away at Sunderland on Wednesday.
The Reds are in a battle to secure Champions League football at the end of the season, and they responded in fine fashion after Manchester United were held to a draw away at West Ham on Tuesday.
Virgil van Dijk headed the winner for Liverpool in the 61st minute, as Arne Slot’s men overcame a spirited display from the hosts, who finally lost their unbeaten home record in the Premier League this season.
The Merseysiders held on to their clean sheet on what could prove to be a hugely valuable night come the end of the season, but it wasn’t all positive for them at the Stadium of Light.
Liverpool right-back curse strikes Wataru Endo
Dominik Szoboszlai was sent off for Liverpool in hugely controversial circumstances in the dying embers of their defeat to Manchester City last weekend.
The Hungarian was suspended for the Reds’ midweek trip to Wearside, and as a result, Slot was forced to hand Wataru Endo just his second league start of the campaign on the right side of the defence.
The right-back slot has quickly become a problem position for the Dutch boss this term, with Jeremie Frimpong suffering consistent injuries, and Conor Bradley now out until the end of the season.
Endo was the latest to fall to the curse that has prompted both injuries and suspensions at right-back this term, as he was stretchered with a nasty-looking ankle injury in the 69th minute against Sunderland.
Liverpool legend John Aldridge was quick to point out the ongoing misfortune of the situation for his former club, as he took to X to share his frustration.
“LFC’s curse of the Right Backs!” Aldridge wrote in a post.
“Unbelievable injuries, suspensions, etc., this season.”
Arne Slot continues baffling Calvin Ramsay snub
Liverpool fans have been pushing to see Calvin Ramsay handed an opportunity to impress amid the ongoing issues at right-back, but Slot has continued his reluctance to use the 22-year-old.
The Scot has made just three competitive appearances for the Reds since they signed him from Aberdeen in 2022, and Slot has continually opted to use makeshift options in Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones on the right side of the defence.
His lack of trust in the youngster is baffling, especially considering that he was tipped to have a huge future ahead of him when he first made the move south of the border.
Ramsay hasn’t played a single minute of Premier League football so far this term, and Slot once again turned to Jones to play at right-back after Endo’s injury, even though his team had their backs against the wall.
The boss evidently doesn’t trust the starlet to go out and do his job effectively, but supporters are growing increasingly confused as to the exact reasoning behind that.