Liverpool manager Arn Slott will be without another Reds player for the upcoming Merseyside derby against Everton.
It’s been a rough week for everyone on Merseyside.
Champions League dreams extinguished, the star striker left on a stretcher in tears, sidelined for months and now traveling to enemy territory for one of the most emotional matches on England’s calendar.
Liverpool go into Sunday’s Merseyside derby as underdogs in every sense of the word, but Slott admitted their injury problems remain.
The Reds head to Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon for their first Merseyside derby in their new home, but the backdrop could not be more dramatic.
Slott’s side were eliminated from the Champions League by PSG on Tuesday night, losing 2-0 at Anfield to take the score 4-0 on aggregate, leaving the only prize left to contend for this season a finish in the top five of the Premier League.
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Liverpool and Everton are both battling for coveted spots in Europe, meaning the derby is far from dead.
A misstep here could mean the former side could find themselves in a fierce battle to qualify for the Champions League in the final weeks of the season.
Defeat would significantly increase the pressure on Slott, as a win for David Moyes’ Toffees could close the gap on fifth-placed Liverpool to just two points.
Moyes has built a resilient unit this season, with the Blues not losing at home to Liverpool since December 2021. This record will give Everton’s loyal fans a lot of confidence, even in a place they have never called home until this season.
Slott confirms Joe Gomez will be absent for Liverpool vs. Everton
The injury news did not lighten the mood in the Liverpool camp.
When Slott was asked in Friday’s pre-match press conference whether Joe Gomez would be available for the derby, the Dutchman’s answer couldn’t have been more direct.
With no other options, the “special” defender, who has been used as a right-back all season, will not feature at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
It compounded a harrowing week that began with the sight of Ekitike being carried off the Anfield turf on a stretcher.
The 23-year-old has ruptured his Achilles tendon and is expected to recover for nine months, meaning he will miss the rest of the season and this summer’s World Cup with France.
Ekitike had scored 17 goals for club and country this season after joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69m last summer, but the injury was a devastating blow at the worst possible time.
Slott confirmed that Alexander Isak has returned from a lengthy spell out due to his own injury, but he may not be fit to play the full 90 minutes yet, leaving Kodi Gakpo and Federico Chiesa as options to lead the line in a makeshift attacking setup.
Alisson also remains sidelined, with Giorgi Mamadashvili set to start in goal.
Sunday will also be Mohamed Salah’s final Merseyside derby, with the Egyptian confirmed to be one of the players to leave Anfield at the end of the season, along with Andy Robertson.
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The Anfield side are in pole position.
