Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed a worrying injury update on one of their key forwards ahead of their Premier League trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal, MySportDab reports.
After a stellar Premier League-winning run last season, the Reds have dropped down the pecking order this season despite over £300m in attacking reinforcements last summer.
They are fourth in the Premier League table with 34 points – a distant 14 points adrift of Arsenal at the top. The Merseysiders will have a chance to narrow this gap and possibly relaunch themselves into the title race with a win in this highly-anticipated matchup tonight.
However, they may have to punch above their weight to get a result against an in-form Mikel Arteta’s charges with their key forward Hugo Ekitike remaining a doubt for the game.
Speaking ahead of the match, Slot confirmed Ekitike has yet to return to first-team training after picking up a hamstring injury that sidelined him in the 2–2 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage the last time out.
However, he implied that all hopes are not lost with the player in contention to return to training ahead of the Arsenal clash.
“(Ekitike) Not trained with us until now. Let’s see if he can today. I’ve said two or three days ago that he’s not going to be out for long,” he said after the Fulham match.
Ekitike has proven an attacking force in the Reds’ colours to be reckoned with since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt on a €80m transfer last summer. He has five goals in his last five matches for Liverpool and his absence is likely to impact the team’s fortunes heading into tonight’s encounter.
Another of the Reds’ last summer’s attacking additions Alexander Isak also remains a doubt for the clash due to fitness concerns.
