Arne Slot looks on from the Anfield touchline.placeholder image
Arne Slot looks on from the Anfield touchline. | Getty Images
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Arne Slot has provided a Liverpool injury update ahead of the Merseyside derby against Everton.
The Reds face their bitter rivals for the first time at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday. With Liverpool exiting the Champions League quarter-finals at the hands of PSG earlier this week, pressure is on to finish in the Premier League top five and qualify for Europe’s elite club competition next season.
But Liverpool will be without Hugo Ekitike for the remainder of the campaign after suffering an Achilles injury against PSG. Ekitike will miss the World Cup with France and could potentially be unavailable for the rest of the year.
Liverpool head coach Slot said: "He hasn't been operated on yet. It is devastating for him, coming to a new club and having such an impact straight away.
"Your first thoughts are always with him, missing out on so many special moments. He is not the first or last player who will experience this and many have come back stronger.
"I'm sure in 10, 15 years he will say this injury helped me to perform at an even higher level than before."
Meanwhile, Joe Gomez had to be withdrawn against PSG after he had come on as a half-time substitute. Slot has confirmed that Gomez is unavailable to face Everton.
Wataru Endo continues to recover from an ankle injury, while Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni (both knee) will not play again this term. Jayden Danns and Stefan Bajcetic (both hamstring) remain sidelined.
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