Arne Slot says Liverpool “will do everything” to have Hugo Ekitike fit for Monday night’s FA Cup third-round clash with Barnsley, while hinting Federico Chiesa could return to the starting XI.
Slot is expected to rotate his squad for the visit of the League One side, but Liverpool’s limited attacking options mean Ekitike could be involved again.
Alexander Isak remains out with a broken leg, while Mohamed Salah is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving the Reds short up front after Ekitike missed the draws with Fulham and Arsenal.
The Liverpool boss confirmed Jayden Danns and Wataru Endo will not be available, but said his top scorer will play if deemed fit.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have suffered another defensive blow after confirming Conor Bradley has sustained a significant knee injury, ruling the right-back out for the rest of the season.
“Hugo, we are not 100% sure but we will do everything to have him available on Monday,” Slot said.
“I think if I am correct Wata (Endo) might start to train one of these days but he has been out for two months now, that is of course different from being out for one week, but Alex Isak is not going to be back yet and Mo Salah plays tomorrow (Egypt played Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday and won 3-2, with Salah scoring his country’s crucial third goal).”Danns is not fit enough, he is not even training.
“He is one of the players that got a stress fracture because he was young and was a bit over-trained.
“That is why we are so careful with Rio Ngumoha – that he is two days a week off the pitch if that is possible, (and we) do not have that same situation with him, but Jayden is definitely not available in the short term.”
On Chiesa, Arne Slot added: “I spoke to him two days ago and he said he played more in the recent weeks than he ever did before under me but he is one of the players that could feature in that game, definitely.
“But like I said Hugo might be back so let’s see how we might start that game and he is one of the options that I have so let’s see.”
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