Liverpool have been dealt a significant injury blow ahead of their pivotal Premier League showdown with Arsenal, with striker Hugo Ekitike ruled out after concerning scan results.
Scan Results Rule Out French Forward
Manager Arne Slot confirmed the setback following his side's 2-2 draw with Fulham on Sunday. Ekitike, who felt discomfort in training, underwent an MRI scan. The results, received while the team was travelling, revealed an issue beyond simple muscle soreness.
"We were hoping it was a bit of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), which he also had," Slot explained in his post-match briefing. "But, unfortunately, we saw a bit more and couldn't take a risk." The Dutch boss declined to specify the exact nature of the problem but confirmed the player would not be available for the trip to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
Deepening Striker Crisis for Reds
Ekitike's absence exacerbates a severe shortage of recognised centre-forwards for Liverpool. The club's record signing, Alexander Isak, remains sidelined with a broken leg sustained last month against Tottenham.
Compounding the issue, star forward Mohamed Salah is away on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. This forced Slot to deploy Cody Gakpo as a central striker against Fulham, supported by an attacking midfield trio of Florian Wirtz, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Title Hopes Suffer Another Setback
The draw at Craven Cottage was a fresh disappointment in Liverpool's faltering title defence. Gakpo thought he had secured a late win with a stoppage-time goal, only for Harrison Reed to equalise for Fulham in the 97th minute.
Slot's champions now trail league leaders Arsenal by a substantial 14-point margin. The manager expressed frustration at his team's recurring issues. "The first chance the other team gets... led to a goal. That's one thing we usually see with us," he said. "The second thing we see a lot is that the other team scores a goal you don't expect in extra time."
Arsenal strengthened their position at the summit with a 3-2 win over Bournemouth, holding a five-point lead over Manchester City, who drew 1-1 with Chelsea.
