Alexander Isak trained with Liverpool again for the first time, and Giorgi Mamardashvili is also pushing back into the picture before Chelsea visit Anfield. Slot’s update matters because Liverpool need just four points from their final three games to secure Champions League qualification, although three may be enough depending on goal difference. The picture is brighter than it looked after the Manchester United defeat.

Slot gets two players back into the frame

Slot said: "Alex trained with us again yesterday for the first time. All good."

He also added: "He did parts of it, hopefully he can do parts or everything today and we see how much we are going to use him."

That is the important bit. Slot is not pretending Isak is fully ready for a heavy workload, but the fact he has trained again changes the immediate outlook for Saturday. Isak missed the 3-2 defeat at Manchester United, so Liverpool are at least moving back towards having a striker available for a game that matters in the Champions League chase.

Mamardashvili’s return is useful in a different way. Slot said: "Alisson [is] not yet, Giorgi today for first time. Mo is very very close like Ali."

The Liverpool manager had said Mamardashvili was not expected to recover from a cut sustained against Everton for another week, so training today for the first time is a clearer sign of progress than the original timeline suggested. Alisson and Mohamed Salah are still out, which keeps a lid on any talk of a full squad reset, but Slot has at least gained two more options before Chelsea.

Why the Chelsea game matters anyway

Liverpool are fourth in the Premier League with 58 points from 35 matches, and they have three league games left: Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brentford. That makes the Chelsea visit more than just a useful home fixture. It is one of the last chances to bank the points they still need for Champions League qualification.

The recent form gives the injury update even more weight. Liverpool have lost two of their last five league games, including that 3-2 defeat at Manchester United. If you are trying to close out a top-four finish, getting Alexander Isak and Giorgi Mamardashvili closer to selection is exactly the kind of lift that matters.

Chelsea arrive in a worse domestic run, with six consecutive Premier League defeats, and they are ninth with 48 points from 35 matches. Their own injury situation is also mixed, with Robert Sánchez ruled out and Filip Jørgensen available to start. But for Liverpool, the more important news is still Slot’s. If Isak can do more in today’s session and Mamardashvili is ready to be involved, Liverpool go into Chelsea with a lot less strain on the squad than they had after the United loss.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →