Liverpool injury latest ahead of Tottenham test
Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League with victory over Brighton, but the result came at a cost. Arne Slot left Anfield with fresh injury concerns to manage as the calendar tightens and a demanding run of fixtures continues. With absentees already stretching the squad, the latest knocks have sharpened the focus on fitness and availability ahead of next weekend’s trip to Tottenham.
There was relief in some quarters. Concerns over Alexander Isak proved unfounded as he was able to make a late cameo, while Federico Chiesa also returned after missing the midweek Champions League trip to Italy through illness. Conor Bradley is back from suspension, offering timely cover. Yet two new injuries during the Brighton match added to a list that already features several senior players.
Slot’s options were underlined by the bench, which contained just four senior outfield players. With Mohamed Salah now away at AFCON with Egypt, the margin for error feels slim. The coming days will be about assessing damage and managing workloads as Liverpool try to maintain momentum.
Ekitike form shines despite late concern
Hugo Ekitike continued his impressive early impact in a Liverpool shirt with another decisive contribution. The striker struck inside the opening minute to set the tone against Brighton and added a second on the hour to make it back to back braces. His removal with 12 minutes remaining raised eyebrows, particularly as he appeared well placed to chase a hat trick.
Ekitike was replaced by Alexander Isak, but there was no immediate indication that the substitution was enforced. Slot was not asked about the decision afterwards, which suggested it may have been precautionary rather than problematic. Liverpool will hope that is the case given Ekitike’s growing importance at the top end of the pitch.
Potential return date: December 20 vs Tottenham (A)
Szoboszlai and Gomez add to midfield strain
Dominik Szoboszlai’s afternoon ended painfully late on. The Hungarian landed awkwardly after jumping to avoid a collision and immediately signalled for treatment. He left the pitch visibly uncomfortable, leaving Slot facing another midfield concern.
The Liverpool head coach confirmed the issue afterwards, saying, “Dom [Szoboszlai], it was his ankle. It didn’t look great when I just saw him. But he has unbelievable mentality so let’s hope for the best.” There is no clarity yet on how long he could be sidelined, with Tottenham now looming quickly.
Joe Gomez’s injury felt more ominous. The defender went down off the ball after 26 minutes and was replaced by Mohamed Salah. Having already endured long spells on the sidelines during his career, this latest setback was met with frustration as much as concern.
Slot offered an honest assessment post match. “If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe, that’s normally not a positive thing. I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham], but sometimes you get a positive surprise.” It leaves Liverpool short in defence at a time when stability is badly needed.
Potential return dates: Unknown
Longer absences shape Liverpool plans
Further down the list, several players are facing more prolonged spells out. Jeremie Frimpong’s Liverpool career has yet to gain momentum after another frustrating injury sequence. The Dutchman suffered a hamstring issue on the opening day against Bournemouth and another setback against Eintracht Frankfurt in October. He was close to a return against Brighton but ultimately did not make the squad.
Slot remains hopeful he will be back soon, saying, “The good thing is that Conor Bradley comes back from a suspension [next week] and normally Jeremie Frimpong will train with us also.” That would be a timely boost ahead of Tottenham.
Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo are both facing weeks out after injuries confirmed before the Brighton match. Slot said, “It’s going to be weeks. With Cody, it’s a muscle injury.” In a further update he added, “It’s going to be weeks [for Gakpo and Endo]. Cody has a muscle injury, and Wata has an ankle injury.” Gakpo’s absence removes an important attacking option, while Endo’s limits depth at a time when versatility would be valuable.
The longest road back belongs to Giovanni Leoni. The young Italian suffered an ACL injury on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Slot spoke with empathy about the challenge ahead. “He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for 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 positive side. There’s never a positive side, but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”
As Liverpool prepare for Tottenham, the injury list remains fluid and concerning. Slot will hope for quick recoveries, but careful management now feels essential if Liverpool are to navigate the festive period with their ambitions intact.
