Image Credits: Imago Images
Hugo Ekitike limped off during the second half of Liverpool’s Champions League meeting with PSV Eindhoven, adding to Arne Slot’s growing list of problems.
The forward went down near the PSV byline around the hour mark while dribbling and immediately thumped the turf in frustration, clearly aware he had suffered an issue that would force him off.
The French striker was replaced by fellow summer signing Alexander Isak, who had started the match on the bench.
Ekitike is viewed by many Liverpool supporters as the most promising of the high-profile additions made during the summer transfer window.
The 23-year-old scored five goals in his first eight appearances for the Reds, though his form has cooled recently, with just one goal in his last nine club outings.
Liverpool’s miserable run of form continued as they were beaten 4–1 by PSV in Eindhoven.
It marked the third consecutive match in which the Reds have conceded three or more goals, following heavy defeats to Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
Dominik Szoboszlai quickly equalised after Ivan Perisic had given the visitors the lead with a sixth-minute penalty.
Guus Til then restored PSV’s advantage early in the second half, before Couhaib Driouech added a third.
In stoppage time, Driouech completed the scoring with a fourth goal on a counter-attack.
Providing an update on Ekitike’s injury, Slot told TNT Sports: “Especially at the start of the second half, I constantly felt, ‘What’s wrong with Hugo?’
“It felt as if he couldn’t move as he did [in] the first half. So, that’s why our press was, I think, also a little bit off.
“And he just told me that in the first five to 10 minutes of the first half he already felt his back too much.
“That’s also why he had to go out.”
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