Liverpool travel to the London Stadium this Sunday to face West Ham United in a Premier League encounter that feels like judgement day for under-fire manager Arne Slot.
Liverpool's Form Crisis
The Reds are currently mired in their worst run of form in over 70 years, having suffered nine defeats in their last twelve matches across all competitions. This dismal streak has seen the defending champions plummet to 13th place in the Premier League table, with their title defence hopes rapidly fading.
Injury List Mounts for Reds
Compounding Liverpool's troubles is a significant injury crisis that could see up to ten players miss the crucial London fixture.
Players Facing Late Fitness Tests
Striker Hugo Ekitike, who has outperformed marquee signing Alexander Isak this season, faces a race against time to be fit after being substituted with a back injury during Liverpool's midweek Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven. Manager Arne Slot provided a cautiously optimistic update, stating: "They don't expect that it has to be a big issue, but the games come fast, so let's see for the weekend."
There's better news regarding first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who has been sidelined since September with a hamstring problem but has now returned to training and could feature against West Ham.
German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, who sustained an injury while on international duty earlier this month, has also completed his recovery and might make his comeback this Sunday.
Confirmed Absentees
Several players have been definitively ruled out of the contest. Defender Jeremie Frimpong, who suffered a thigh injury during Liverpool's 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in October, isn't expected back until mid-December.
Full-back Conor Bradley hasn't featured for the club since picking up an injury during the November international break with Northern Ireland and is also anticipated to be out until next month.
Tragically, young centre-half Giovanni Leoni will miss the entire season after tearing his ACL against Southampton in September. Slot previously commented on the difficult situation: "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."
West Ham's Selection Headaches
The injury concerns aren't limited to the visitors. Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham squad is also dealing with several absences. Oliver Scarles will be sidelined until late December after undergoing shoulder surgery, while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski's return remains uncertain due to a back problem.
The availability of Crysencio Summerville and Konstantinos Mavropanos will be decided after late fitness assessments, with Santo confirming in his Friday press conference that both players would be evaluated ahead of the match.
This fixture represents a critical moment for Arne Slot's tenure at Liverpool, with the team's poor form and extensive injury list creating a perfect storm of pressure ahead of their trip to the capital.
