Arne Slot Reveals Ryan Gravenberch Misses Community Shield After Becoming a Father

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed that Ryan Gravenberch is not part of the squad for today’s FA Community Shield due to a personal milestone, revealing: “Ryan Gravenberch is out just because last night he became a dad.” 

Slot stressed that the absence was unrelated to injury or suspension and was simply down to the midfielder celebrating the birth of his child.

The 2025 FA Community Shield sees Premier League champions Liverpool face FA Cup winners Crystal Palace today, Sunday, 10 August 2025, at Wembley Stadium, London, with kick-off at 3 pm BST. Referee Chris Kavanagh is in charge of the match.

Liverpool’s starting XI features Alisson Becker in goal; Jeremie Frimpong, Virgil van Dijk (captain), Ibrahima Konaté, and Milos Kerkez in defence; Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Florian Wirtz in midfield; with Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Hugo Ekitike leading the attack. The lineup includes several summer signings—Wirtz, Ekitike, Frimpong, and Kerkez—marking a refreshed look for Liverpool’s season opener.

Up to six substitutions are permitted from a bench of nine players, and if the match ends in a draw after 90 minutes, it will go straight to penalties.