Liverpool 5-2 West Ham: Arne Slot makes Florian Wirtz injury prediction after Premier League win

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has issued a new potential timeline on Florian Wirtz's recovery from a back injury following Saturday's 5-2 win over West Ham United.

The Germany international watched on from the sidelines as the Reds ripped the Hammers apart at Anfield, having been unexpectedly ruled out with the back issue he picked up last weekend.

Wirtz pulled out of the starting lineup to face Nottingham Forest just a few minutes before kickoff, although he hinted on social media that he would be back fit for the visit of the Irons.

However, Slot revealed at his pre-game press conference that the former Bayer Leverkusen man would not take part, and he could not say for sure when Liverpool's £116m man might return.

Asked again about Wirtz's status in his post-game press conference on Saturday, Slot all but ruled the midfielder out of the showdown with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday, and he also offered no guarantees for the FA Cup trip to Molineux.

Liverpool 5-2 West Ham: Florian Wirtz a major injury doubt for Wolves

"Tuesday will probably be too early. But the week after will be tight, as things stand," Slot said, fuelling fears that Wirtz could miss both battles with Rob Edwards's side in the coming days.

Following the FA Cup clash with Wolves on February 6, Liverpool travel to Galatasaray for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, February 10, and Wirtz is also a doubt for that encounter at the time of writing.

In between both fixtures with Galatasaray, Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on March 15, and it remains to be seen if the summer signing recovers in time to face the Lilywhites too.

However, Liverpool did not need Wirtz to put West Ham to the sword on Saturday, thanks in no small part to three corner goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister in the first half.

The Reds broke a Premier League set-piece record with their trio of corner strikes, while Cody Gakpo's effort and an Axel Disasi own goal ensured that Tomas Soucek and Taty Castellanos's goals would only be consolatory.

The scoreline did not tell the full story, though, as West Ham actually registered more Expected Goals (2.09) than the holders (1.92) and put Liverpool under serious pressure for a good portion of the contest.

Liverpool 5-2 West Ham: Arne Slot makes refreshingly honest open-play admission

During his Sky Sports interview, Slot conceded that his team did not deserve a 3-0 first-half lead and lamented his side's shortcomings from open play, despite their set-piece excellence.

"The main thing to take is we scored three goals from set pieces," Slot said. "That can make a big difference in the game, I don't think 3-0 at half-time was a fair reflection of the run of play.

"So many times we have been on the opposite side where we deserved so, so, so much more and then there was a set piece goal conceded. I don't think we deserved to be 3-0 up at half-time on open play.

"From open play, I don't think it was our best game of the season. Set pieces can make a massive difference."

Liverpool's victory temporarily takes them level on points with Manchester United in fifth place in the Premier League table, before the Red Devils tackle Crystal Palace and sixth-placed Chelsea battle Arsenal on Sunday.