Arne Slot keeps Liverpool fans guessing over Hugo Ekitike availability for Arsenal showdown
Arne Slot has kept Liverpool fans guessing as to whether or not Hugo Ekitike will be available to face Arsenal on Thursday night.
The Reds’ top scorer for the season so far missed the 2-2 draw at Fulham last weekend due to a minor hamstring injury, with the 23-year-old getting little respite over the past month due to a sparsity of attacking depth at Anfield.
Speculation had mounted over the likelihood of him missing the Emirates Stadium showdown after Conor Bradley and LFC head of rehab physiotherapy Lee Nobes both removed him from their Fantasy Premier League teams for this gameweek.
Slot coy on Ekitike fitness for Arsenal clash
Slot held his pre-match press conference on Wednesday morning, and the first question he was asked was whether Ekitike would be fit enough to play against Arsenal tomorrow.
The Dutchman was coy with his answer as he replied (via Liverpool Echo): “He has not trained with us until now and let’s see if he can today. I have said two or three days ago that he won’t be out for long but the games come fast, so he is in between with the team and it might take him one or two days extra.”
Ekitike involvement could go down to the wire
All eyes will be on Liverpool’s training session today to see whether or not Ekitike partakes, or in what way he’s involved, with his availability for the Arsenal game seemingly set to remain unclear right up until the teams are announced 75 minutes before kick-off on Thursday.
It’s plausible that the Frenchman is included in the matchday squad but might be held in reserve if he’s deemed not fit enough to start or to play the full match, but behind the scenes Slot will surely be begging the medical staff to clear him for action tomorrow.
The Reds will be without Alexander Isak and Mo Salah against the Gunners, and although they scored twice against Fulham at the weekend without that pair or Ekitike, repeating the feat against the Premier League’s most miserly defence would be quite the challenge.
Thankfully Cody Gakpo is back in action and was on the scoresheet at Craven Cottage, while Florian Wirtz seems liberated by finally ending his goal drought in the recent win over Wolves, but Liverpool’s attack would be considerably stronger if our number 22 is passed fit to start.
Fingers crossed for good news on the 23-year-old between now and 7pm tomorrow night!
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