Liverpool injury news as Arsenal handed title boost after Hugo Ekitike and Alisson blows

Liverpool take on Chelsea this weekend aiming to get their season back on track. The Reds have lost each of their last two games in all competitions to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.

Last weekend’s defeat to the Eagles - coupled with Arsenal’s dramatic win against Newcastle - has left the door open to the Gunners when it comes to the title race.

Injuries are also starting to bite at Anfield, which could be good news for Mikel Arteta’s side, who host West Ham on Saturday. Just two points separate Liverpool and Arsenal in the table heading into the weekend.

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Arne Slot and Liverpool picked up a couple more issues during Tuesday’s Champions League showdown with Galatasaray.

Get up to date on all of the latest injury news ahead of Liverpool’s next outing: a trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

Alisson

Liverpool’s first concern in Turkey was the fitness of their regular number one Alisson. The Brazilian appeared to pick up an issue during the second-half on Tuesday.

He was treated by medical staff but to no avail as he was shortly replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili. And Slot has already ruled the Brazilian out of this weekend’s game.

He said: “Alisson going off. That’s why we do need to rotate a bit. It’s never positive if you go off like this.

“You can be sure that he’s (Alisson) not playing on Saturday, so let’s wait how long it is going to take. But he is definitely not going to play on Saturday."

Potential return date: Unknown

Hugo Ekitike

Slot was also given a headache over the fitness of striker Hugo Ekitike. Having previously been ruled out through suspension, he was set to return this weekend.

But having picked up an issue, he could also be sidelined. Speaking about his injury, Slot said: "He felt something when he had to reach for the ball, I think we all know which moment it was.

"When we were trying to force something, I thought I can't get that long of a time, on the other side there was someone on the floor as well, the referee blew his whistle and I wasn't really thinking that we had an injury, but Hugo felt something.

"And after the game, that's always the difficult thing with these moments, when players feel like, oh, it's not too bad, but when you just walk around with something different, and when you make a spin, you have to shoot another one from the target.

"He said he couldn't continue, so we had to take him off. Let's see how he responds."

However, it is claimed by The Athletic that Ekitike was confident that the incident was just a showing of cramp rather than something alarming like a pull or a tear. Reporter James Pearce wrote on social media: "Hugo Ekitike confident he only had cramp in his hamstring rather than anything more serious."

Potential return date: Unknown

Federico Chiesa

In more positive news for Liverpool however, Italian wideman Chiesa could return to the fold. He was left out of the travelling squad for the trip to Galatasaray but may recover in time to play against Chelsea.

“He got a little niggle, I think it is the word you use here in England, in the last game against Palace,” Slot said. “He tried it today, he was on the pitch in the beginning, but he couldn't end the session, so we decided not to take him because in a few days it's Chelsea again.”

Potential return date: Saturday, October 4 (Chelsea, A)

Giovanni Leoni

One man who won’t be playing for Liverpool against the Blues is promising young defender Giovanni Leoni. The Italian is currently ruled out with a long-term knee issue and is unlikely to be seen again this season.

Slot said: “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.

“But you try to look at that, and that is that he is still so young, and he has so many years still to go after he recovers.”

Potential return date: Next season