Arne Slot has again played down concerns about Federico Chiesa’s lack of starts this season, explaining that Liverpool simply have a large group of players capable of playing in his position. His comments came during the build-up to the Premier League match against Leeds United after the team’s late escape at Sunderland.
The discussion around Chiesa’s role has been growing, especially after he made his intentions clear about wanting to stay at the club, as reported by SoftFootball.
Slot repeated what he has said several times this season. According to him, Chiesa is part of a competitive attacking unit, and every player has a chance to start, but decisions depend on the balance he wants from game to game. He added that the Italian has still made an impact from the bench when called upon.
The manager pointed out in a post shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account that Chiesa has managed to influence matches without getting regular starts, something that has kept him in Slot’s plans.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Arne Slot on Federico Chiesa not starting: We have many options to start in his position.
For sure, Federico is having an impact coming off the bench a few times this season.
Chiesa’s entire Premier League campaign so far has been made up of substitute appearances. He has come off the bench ten times in the league and thirteen times across all competitions. His most recent contribution was unusual for an attacker.
He made a last-second goal-line clearance at Sunderland, preventing what looked like a certain defeat. Slot mentioned that moment as an example of the winger’s attitude, praising the effort and saying it reflected a willingness to help the team in any situation.
Since arriving from Juventus for £12.5 million, Chiesa has put together four goals and five assists in 29 appearances. He averages a goal involvement roughly every 94 minutes, which has surprised supporters because his playing time has been limited.
Some analysts believe that his strong impact in short bursts has unintentionally placed him in the role of an impact substitute. The competition around him is strong, with Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz all playing regularly, although each of them has also had inconsistent spells.
Supporters have been asking for Chiesa to be given a run of matches, especially with Liverpool having mixed results recently. He started the season well, scoring in the late turnaround against Bournemouth.
Slot has promised opportunities if the winger remains fit, and so far he has been available for every match. For now, though, the manager seems comfortable using him from the bench while keeping him involved in key moments.
