Liverpool: Hugo Ekitike surely out of PSG clash as early injury assessment shared

Liverpool are surely likely to be without striker Hugo Ekitike for their Champions League clash against PSG on Wednesday night.

The Frenchman was taken off after just eight minutes of the Reds’ 2-1 defeat away at Brighton on Saturday, as he took a knock after a challenge from James Milner.

It has now been revealed that the early diagnosis of the forwrd’s issue is a “major thigh contusion,” which will surely take several days for him to recover from.

Ekitike was captured by the TNT Sports cameras heading straight down the tunnel after he was replaced, but he later came back up to sit with his teammates on the bench in the second half.

Liverpool already have some injury concerns ahead of the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in midweek, and Ekitike’s involvement in the trip to the French capital now appears highly unlikely.

Liverpool awaiting full diagnosis on Hugo Ekitike injury

Ekitike’s injury served as a major blow for Liverpool in the early stages of their defeat to Brighton, as they were also without Mohamed Salah for their trip to the South Coast.

Arne Slot was forced to use Cody Gakpo in a central striker role for the remainder of the afternoon, but that is far from the Dutchman’s preferred role in the team.

The boss may also have to find a makeshift solution for his side’s European assignment in midweek, if the initial concerns regarding Ekitike are proven to be correct.

According to French journalist Santi Aouna, the Reds are still awaiting “further examinations” regarding the injured star, with a “contusion” the early expectation.

A contusion typically occurs when a blow of blunt force strikes the leg and damages nerves or blood vessels under the skin, which is likely to result in a significant recovery period.

Given the tight turnaround to the PSG clash, it would be a huge surprise if Ekitike is fit enough to play any part.

Arne Slot surely cannot escape sack after Brighton loss

Slot has been under pressure at Liverpool in recent weeks, with fans growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of consistency that their team have shown.

However, the most damaging evidence of all was revealed during TNT Sports’ coverage of the game on Saturday, as commentator Adam Summerton outlined that Brighton covered over 5 kilometres more than Liverpool across the 90 minutes.

That was made all the more damning by the subsequent reveal that the Reds had been outrun in 26 of their 30 Premier League games prior to Saturday’s defeat, which is a hugely concerning reflection upon Slot’s ability to motivate his players.

That arguably suggests that the players lack the desire to run hard for their manager at this stage, and when it reaches that point, then a change in the dugout is surely necessary.

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