Arne Slot is facing a growing headache at right-back after Dominik Szoboszlai’s red card in Liverpool’s narrow loss to Manchester City on Sunday. With Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong, and Joe Gomez all currently unavailable due to injury, the Liverpool boss was once again forced to improvise.

Szoboszlai, despite being a natural midfielder, was deployed on the right side of defence against Pep Guardiola’s men at Anfield—and his performance proved eventful. The Hungarian international put Liverpool ahead late on with a spectacular long-range free kick in the 74th minute, sparking hopes of a comeback.

However, drama struck deep into stoppage time. After a VAR review, Szoboszlai was shown a red card for denying Erling Haaland a clear goalscoring opportunity while attempting to block a long-range effort from Rayan Cherki. Referee Craig Pawson had little choice but to issue the dismissal.

As a result, Szoboszlai will miss Liverpool’s upcoming midweek Premier League clash with Sunderland, further complicating Slot’s selection plans. With the quick turnaround between matches, the Dutch coach has played down the chances of any of his injured right-backs returning in time.

Speaking ahead of the game, Slot suggested Frimpong remains weeks away from full fitness, while Gomez’s availability is still doubtful after spending three weeks on the sidelines. The Liverpool manager admitted rushing him back would be a risk, adding that the final call would be his—but other options are being considered.

With limited time to prepare, Slot must now decide whether to reassign another midfielder, such as Curtis Jones, or turn to Calvin Ramsay, who has barely featured this season and last appeared in a rotated Carabao Cup side against Crystal Palace.

Although Slot indicated he could understand the decision to send Szoboszlai off, the controversy surrounding the call drew criticism from pundits, including Gary Neville on Sky Sports. In hindsight, the suspension may prove more damaging than conceding another goal in the 2-1 defeat.

Jones’ previous outing at right-back this season came during a tough 4-1 loss away to PSV Eindhoven, underlining the risks of using makeshift solutions. While Liverpool value versatility within the squad, there is a clear preference to field a natural defender in such a crucial role.

For now, all eyes remain on Joe Gomez’s fitness, with Liverpool hoping he can recover in time to provide Slot with a much-needed boost ahead of Wednesday’s test against Sunderland.