Arne Slot provides double injury update ahead of Liverpool vs Crystal Palace

Alisson’s case is more nuanced. Recovery from hamstring injuries often depends on fine margins. Slot’s phrasing suggests optimism, but not certainty. Liverpool must now wait until the final hours before kick-off to know whether their Brazilian goalkeeper can return.

Freddie Woodman steps into spotlight

Should Alisson fail to make it, responsibility will fall to Freddie Woodman, a figure whose role has largely existed in the background until now.

Slot was keen to underline the rationale behind his recruitment.

“For a reason we signed experienced third goalkeeper. That’s why we were happy to pick him up on free transfer.”

“Apart from him being a good goalkeeper, he has the experience to play in Premier League, and he is a very good man and very liked in the dressing room and that’s also a role important for the third goalkeeper.”

“He’s ready for it but it will always be helpful if the fans support him tomorrow.”

There is a quiet endorsement in those words. Woodman is not a makeshift solution but a contingency plan brought in with nights like this in mind. Whether he can translate experience into performance at Anfield is the question that now looms.

Champions League race adds urgency

Context sharpens everything. Liverpool are not navigating these setbacks in mid-table obscurity. Every point matters, every slip carries consequence.

The absence of Alisson and Marmadashvili alters more than personnel. It shifts confidence, defensive organisation and the rhythm of build-up play. Goalkeepers, particularly one of Alisson’s calibre, are not easily replaced.

This situation underscores how quickly a season’s narrative can pivot. One week, Liverpool were managing an injury. The next, they are confronting a goalkeeping crisis.

Yet within adversity lies opportunity. Woodman stands on the brink of a defining moment. Alisson edges closer to a return. Mamardashvili, though sidelined, avoids a long-term setback.

For Slot, this is a test of adaptability as much as squad depth. His Liverpool side must now prove that their ambitions are resilient enough to withstand disruption.