Reds sweat over Ekitike

ARNE Slot is sweating on the extent of Hugo Ekitike’s injury after the Liverpool striker missed Sunday’s thrilling 2-2 draw against Fulham.

Ekitike had an MRI scan that revealed a minor issue and forced Slot to leave out the 23-year-old at Craven Cottage.

Without Ekitike and with fellow forward Alexander Isak also injured and Mohamed Salah on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt, Liverpool spluttered through a disjointed display in west London.

The toothless Reds failed to register a shot on target in the first half without Ekitike, who is their top scorer this season with 11, more than double the tally of second-placed Dominik Szoboszlai.

Slot said: “He [Ekitike] felt something during the training session so he went for an MRI scan. We got the result when we were flying so we were hoping it was just DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness).”

Slot added his new signings were still getting used to the physical demands of the intense schedule of a top English team, saying: “He has to play 80 or 90 minutes every single game, for the first time in his life at Premier League level, for the first time without a winter break, for the first time at Champions League level.

“Not a surprise that he then gets bit tired. Unfortunately we saw a little bit more [on the scan] and you cannot take a risk…”

Liverpool face Premier League leaders Arsenal on Thursday.