“Sharp-eyed fan spots Ekitike absent from Liverpool’s squad traveling to London”

David Tierney shared photos on X showing his son with several Liverpool players at Runcorn train station, including Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, and Alisson Becker.

The post quickly caught fans’ attention, with many asking about one notable absence: Hugo Ekitike. Tierney confirmed multiple times that the French forward was not present, prompting playful frustration from supporters already concerned about his availability.

Tierney also revealed the squad arrived around 4:10 pm for the 4:27 pm train at Runcorn, though he declined to explain how he knew their schedule. The timing has naturally sparked speculation ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal, particularly given the club’s current attacking challenges.

Earlier this week, manager Arne Slot provided an update on Ekitike’s fitness, noting in a pre-match press conference that the 23-year-old had not trained fully and was “in between” returning, possibly needing “one or two days extra.”

Ekitike’s absence is notable, especially given his recent impact. After being named Liverpool’s Player of the Month for December, he highlighted the importance of team success over individual accolades.

With Mo Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations and Alexander Isak out long-term, any missing attacker is a major concern.
Whether Tierney’s train station sighting is significant or coincidental, it has reinforced the uncertainty surrounding Ekitike’s availability as a key talking point ahead of the Arsenal match.