Arne Slot facing remarkable Liverpool decision no one thought possible – it could define Reds season

 A conundrum that looked unfathomable just a few months ago has been thrust upon Arne Slot at a critical juncture in the season, and a Liverpool reporter has shed light on what the manager will decide.

Liverpool have started the season with a 100 percent record in the Premier League and with a swathe of expensive new signings made, confidence is sky high on Merseyside at present.

However, we’re just a few months removed from the Reds suffering a colossal blow when losing a generational and homegrown player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, to Real Madrid.

Trent’s future dominated the headlines for much of the first half of 2025. His defection to the Spanish capital forced Liverpool into the market, with Jeremie Frimpong arriving to the tune of £29.5m.

Frimpong was signed to be the regular starter, but the Reds rate Conor Bradley highly and any misstep by the new man will be pounced upon by the Northern Irishman.

Frimpong looked lively in the Community Shield clash with Crystal Palace and league opener against Bournemouth before suffering a hamstring issue that ruled him out of the Newcastle and Arsenal games.

With back-up right-back Bradley only just returning from a hamstring injury of his own, Slot pulled off a masterstroke when deploying Dominik Szoboszlai in the position.

His spectacular free-kick to secure all three points against Arsenal understandably caught the eye. However, what may have gone under the radar is how solid and capable Szoboszlai was from a defensive standpoint when containing Harvey Barnes at Newcastle and locking up Gabriel Martinelli against the Gunners.

A fresh update from The Athletic has confirmed Frimpong is now back in full training and just a few weeks ago, the starting spot was his to lose.

With Bradley champing at the bit for more minutes too, Slot now faces the difficult decision of choosing between three worthy options for one spot.

Such a conundrum would’ve been unthinkable when Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool’s guaranteed starter at right-back for over half a decade – departed to begin the summer.

Frimpong, Bradley, Szoboszlai… what is Slot to do?

Between now and the next international break, Liverpool play seven matches in 21 days.

The Reds’ fixture list reads: Burnley (EPL), Atletico Madrid (UCL), Everton (EPL), Southampton (League Cup), Crystal Palace (EPL), Galatasaray (UCL), Chelsea (EPL).

Liverpool cannot afford a slow start to their Champions League campaign with the likes of Inter Milan and Real Madrid on the horizon later in the group phase.

Picking up three points in the Merseyside derby can never be taken for granted, Liverpool’s record at Stamford Bridge is patchy, and any mistakes against the Saints in the League Cup would see one route to a trophy close at the earliest opportunity.

Most of Slot’s starting eleven picks itself but at right-back, there is a big decision to make at a critical point in the season.

The Athletic’s James Pearce offered insight into how Slot will manage the situation at right-back when stating “Frimpong is likely to be eased back in gradually with no risks taken.”

Frimpong stayed in Liverpool during the international break to focus on his recovery rather than report for duty with the Netherlands.

But with Slot now boasting an embarrassment of riches at right-back, it’s Liverpool’s primary starter who may take a back seat against Burnley and perhaps beyond.

What does appear clear from Pearce’s reporting is we can expect to see different players starting at right-back in this next batch of games and there’ll be plenty of substitutions made in the position too.