Gary O’Neil gives Wolves update after virus outbreak before Liverpool match

Wolves manager Gary O'Neil has confirmed that a number of players are uncertain for Saturday's Premier League match against Liverpool as a result of a viral outbreak affecting the team.

Wolves are currently rooted to the bottom of the table and are one of six teams without a win so far this season.

But this weekend’s visit from Liverpool has become even more difficult with several players taken ill on the eve of the fixture after goalkeeper David Bentley was sick last week.

‘There is quite a bit of illness at the moment, there are a few who will need a check on how they are feeling. Quite a few missed training today,’ O’Neil told a press conference on Friday.

Although he didn’t reveal the names of those affected, O’Neil conceded that he is expecting some players to not recover in time.

‘Some of the lads will struggle for tomorrow, whether they don’t quite make it or are not fit enough to start. Sometimes it can clear up in 24 hours,’ he said.

‘We are hopeful that all of the guys who have had something over the last couple of days will be fine. But, as the doctors told me, at this stage it’s difficult to give a definitive answer.’

The latest blow comes just three days after summer signing Yerson Mosquera was ruled out for the rest of the season following a severe knee injury.

That injury, couple with the viral outbreak, could force O’Neil to hand an unlikely top-flight debut to 20-year-old defender Alfie Pond who spent last season on loan at League Two side Stcokport County.

Despite the hampered preparations to Saturday’s fixture, O’Neil was in no mood to make excuses, insisting: ‘I’m not fazed at all. I’m looking forward to the next part of it.

‘First thing is you have to accept where you are. So we accept where we are at this moment and then we fight with everything we have to improve it.

‘We have to get the group in the best spot possible for Liverpool and then give absolutely everything to try and improve our points tally.’

Liverpool, meanwhile, have been boosted by the potential return of first-choice keeper Alisson Becker who missed the last two games with a hamstring niggle.

‘We think he is [ready to return],’ Arne Slot confirmed at his press conference. ‘He trained yesterday part of our session, we expect him to do the whole session today.’

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