Conor Bradley Appears to Reveal Team News as Liverpool Star Is Dropped From FPL Ahead of Arsenal Clash
On paper, the standout Premier League clash this week is Arsenal’s meeting with Liverpool. The league-leading Gunners welcome the defending champions in a match that could prove pivotal in Mikel Arteta’s push for the title.
Holding a six-point advantage over Manchester City, Arsenal will be eager to make a statement in front of their home crowd and underline their dominance. Liverpool, champions last season, have struggled to hit the same heights during the 2025/26 campaign, but Arne Slot’s side still have enough quality to pose serious challenges.
However, the Reds head to the Emirates severely depleted in attack. Summer signing Alexander Isak remains sidelined after breaking his leg against Tottenham in December, while Mohamed Salah is away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Now, it appears another key forward may also be unavailable.
Fans online have noticed that Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley and the club’s Head of Physiotherapy, Lee Nobes, both removed Hugo Ekitike from their Fantasy Premier League teams ahead of the Arsenal match. This has sparked speculation that the French striker will not be fit enough to feature.
Ekitike has been one of Liverpool’s standout performers this season, netting 11 goals across all competitions. He missed the recent 2–2 draw at Fulham due to a thigh problem, despite travelling with the squad. Late MRI results ultimately ruled him out of that game.
Slot later clarified that the issue was related to Ekitike’s hamstring, though he initially remained optimistic about the forward returning in time to face Arsenal. Speaking after the Fulham match, Slot explained the situation in detail.
He revealed that Ekitike felt discomfort during training and underwent an MRI, with the results arriving while the team were in transit. The hope had been that the problem was merely delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), something the player had been experiencing due to an increased workload. With Isak unavailable, Ekitike has been playing extended minutes regularly, without a winter break and at Champions League intensity for the first time in his career.
Slot acknowledged that muscle fatigue was to be expected under those circumstances, and the staff had hoped Ekitike could at least be used as a substitute. Unfortunately, the scans revealed more than DOMS, leading the club to avoid taking any risks.
There had been optimism that Ekitike might still play some part in Thursday night’s clash with Arsenal on 8 January. However, the Fantasy Premier League changes made by Bradley and Nobes may have unintentionally revealed that Liverpool will once again be without one of their most important attacking players.