Arne Slot leaves Liverpool supporters in suspense over Hugo Ekitike’s fitness ahead of the crucial Arsenal clash
Arne Slot has left Liverpool supporters in suspense over Hugo Ekitike’s availability for Thursday night’s clash with Arsenal.
The Reds’ leading scorer this season was absent from last weekend’s 2–2 draw with Fulham after picking up a minor hamstring issue. The 23-year-old has had little chance to rest in recent weeks due to Liverpool’s lack of attacking options, which only increased concerns over his fitness. Doubts intensified when both Conor Bradley and LFC’s head of rehab physiotherapy, Lee Nobes, left Ekitike out of their Fantasy Premier League teams for this gameweek.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Slot was immediately asked whether the French forward would be ready to feature at the Emirates. The Liverpool boss offered a cautious response, telling the Liverpool Echo:
“He hasn’t trained with us yet, and we’ll see if he can today. I mentioned a few days ago that he wouldn’t be out for long, but the fixtures come quickly. He’s somewhere between being ready and not, and he might need an extra day or two.”
Liverpool’s training session later today will be closely monitored to gauge Ekitike’s involvement, with his status likely to remain uncertain until the official team news is released 75 minutes before kick-off on Thursday.
There’s a chance the striker could still make the matchday squad but start on the bench if he isn’t considered fit enough to begin or last the full 90 minutes. Behind the scenes, Slot will be hoping the medical team can give him the green light.
Liverpool will already be without Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah against Arsenal. While the Reds managed to score twice against Fulham without those two or Ekitike, breaking down the league’s tightest defence at the Emirates would be a far tougher task.
On the positive side, Cody Gakpo is back and found the net at Craven Cottage, while Florian Wirtz looks rejuvenated after ending his goal drought in the recent victory over Wolves. Even so, Liverpool’s attack would receive a huge boost if their number 22 is declared fit to start.
All fingers are crossed for a positive update on the 23-year-old before Thursday evening. 🤞