Liverpool face West Ham United on Sunday in the Premier League, as Arne Slot looks to halt the Red's poor run of form - but both clubs have a number of injuries to navigate headed into the fixture
Arne Slot looks dejected
Arne Slot has a number of injured players to work around
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Liverpool will hope to welcome back a number of key players from injury when they face West Ham United in the Premier League this weekend. The Reds travel to the London Stadium on Sunday, with hopes of ending a poor run of form.
It's been a dismal season for Arne Slot, with Liverpool currently suffering their worst run in over 70 years - having lost nine of their last 12 matches across all competitions. As a result, the club languish in 13th in the Premier League standings, as hopes of defending the title they clinched in May grow slimmer and slimmer by the day.
To make matters worse, Liverpool have been forced to navigate injuries to a number of key players for large parts of the season, and it will be more of the same come Sunday. Here, the Liverpool ECHO looks at 10 players who could miss the Red's clash with West Ham in the capital...
A number of players are touch and go for this weekend's encounter. Hugo Ekitike racked up 61 minutes against PSV Eindhoven in Liverpool's midweek Champions League clash, before he was substituted as a result of a back injury.
The Frenchman has impressed more than marquee signing Alexander Isak this term, and could be a big miss if he isn't available for West Ham. However, if Slot's comments from after the PSV match are anything to go off, then he could be fit to take part.
Speaking on Thursday, the head coach said: "They don't expect that it has to be a big issue, but the games come fast, so let's see for the weekend. But it shouldn't have to be a big issue."
Alisson Becker, meanwhile, has been out of action since September's match against Galatasaray as a result of a hamstring issue. However, Slot said that he has returned to training and could be available for selection this weekend.
Nuno Espirito Santo looks on
West Ham could also have a number of absentees this weekend
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Florian Wirtz picked up an injury while on international duty with Germany earlier this month, although his rehabilitation process is thought to be complete, and the attacking midfielder could return to the fray come Sunday.
However, other players in Slot's squad have been ruled out completely. Jeremie Frimpong, suffered a thigh injury in October during Liverpool's 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt, and is not expected to return until mid-December, while Conor Bradley hasn't featured for his club since picking up an issue during the November international break with Northern Ireland.
He is also expected to be out until next month. Giovanni Leoni will also miss the entirety of the season as a result of an ACL injury sustained against Southampton in September.
Speaking about the centre-half in September, Slot said: "He is not in a good place because he tore his ACL, which means he will be out around a year. Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game, it's very hard to take the positives.
"But you try to look at that, and that is that he is still so young, and he has so many years still to go after he recovers."
Liverpool aren't the only side with absentees this weekend, however, with Nuno Espirito Santo also missing a couple of players from his Hammers squad. Oliver Scarles underwent surgery on a shoulder issue which will keep him out of action until late December, while Lukasz Fabianski's return date is also unknown after a reported back issue.
Crysencio Summerville and Konstantinos Mavropanos are touch and go for the match, with Santo explaining during his pre-match press conference on Friday that they would be assessed ahead of the game.