Liverpool take on league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this Thursday night, but will do so with a reduced front line.
That’s because headline summer signing Alexander Isak faces a significant spell on the sidelines with a broken ankle, and Mohamed Salah is still away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Arne Slot’s issues are further compounded by the question marks over Hugo Ekitike’s fitness, as the Frenchman was absent from the matchday squad that faced Fulham last time out.
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Hugo Ekitike injury latest ahead of Arsenal v Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool prepares to shoot whilst under pressure from Lukas Nmecha of Leeds United during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Leeds United at Anfield on January 01, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Ekitike is Liverpool's current top scorer(Image credit: Getty Images)
After a summer spend of £446m, Slot’s XI to face the Cottagers looked remarkably similar to last season, with only two newer faces – Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz – in the line-up.
Injuries mean the Reds’ boss had little say in that matter, but he will be hoping to have at least one of his signings back for the Arsenal trip in Ekitike.
It does not seem like a forgone conclusion that the 23-year-old will be available for selection, however.
“He has not trained with us until now,” Slot informed the press on Wednesday morning. “Let’s see if he can today.
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“I’ve said, I think two or three days ago when we played Fulham, that he is not going to be out for long, but because games come so fast, he is in between maybe training with the team, or it would take him one or two days extra.”
The Merseyside club confirmed that the striker missed their last game against Fulham with a case of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Cody Gakpo led the line in Ekitike’s place at the weekend, notching what appeared to be a late winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, before Harrison Reed levelled the game with an even later equaliser moments after.
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Liverpool manager Arne Slot next to Hugo Ekitike at full-time following the Premier League match between Liverpool and Sunderland at Anfield on December 03, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Arne Slot will hope to have Ekitike at his disposal at the Emirates Stadium(Image credit: Getty Images)
For all the talk in the summer of how Isak and Ekitike were going to exist in the same squad, it seemed unlikely that Slot would need the services of a third top class striker.
But that is exactly what has happened over the last week, with Gakpo the only true option to fill in.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, it makes a win for Liverpool in this game look difficult, especially against a squad as deep and in-form as Arsenal’s.
Ekitike is valued at €85m, according to Transfermarkt.