Liverpool injury update: Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, Joe Gomez latest news and return dates | OneFootball

The Reds’ injury issues could ease in the New Year

Liverpool welcomed several players back from injury as they ended 2025 with a Premier League victory over Wolves at Anfield.

The Reds were made to work for their 2-1 win against the division’s bottom side, during which summer signing Jeremie Frimpong made just his second start in this competition and his first appearance from minute one in over two months.

Fellow right-back Conor Bradley shook off an apparent injury from the previous match to make a substitute appearance with Cody Gakpo also marking his return from a muscle issue in the second half on Saturday, despite both men training for just one day in advance of the match.

There remains a group of first-team players on the sidelines, though, among which Alexander Isak is the biggest concern. The £125million striker is set to miss much of the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on a broken leg suffered against Tottenham.

No injury to Hugo Ekitike was officially reported in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s win over Wolves, but the in-form forward appeared to be moving a little gingerly prior to his substitution a few minutes from the end at Anfield.

Slot’s post-match comments contained no further information on Ekitike’s condition, so it’s possible the Frenchman may just have been suffering from cramp or fatigue amid the busy festive period.

Liverpool will certainly hope that he’s avoided any serious issue, with Slot’s side already light up top due to Isak’s injury and the absence of Mohamed Salah due to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

If he has, Ekitike should be fine to lead the line at home to Leeds on Wednesday.

Hugo Ekitike registered an assist for Florian Wirtz’s goal against Wolves

AFP via Getty Images

Potential return date: Wednesday, January 1 vs Leeds (H)

Alexander Isak

Having lasted just 11 minutes as a substitute against Spurs before Christmas, Isak was confirmed last week to have undergone surgery on “an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture”.

No timeframe was placed by the club on his return from the “significant” injury.

Alexander Isak is helped off the pitch by Liverpool’s medical staff on December 20

AFP via Getty Images

While Slot said he is “confident [Isak] can still play a part at the back end of the season”, the Swede is still expected to be out of action for many months.

Potential return date: Late in the 2025/26 season

Joe Gomez

Another player forced off recently is Joe Gomez, who started in Liverpool’s victory against Brighton on December 13 but was substituted less than half an hour into the proceedings.

The injury-prone Englishman went down off the ball and received on-field treatment before hobbling out of the match.

Slot confirmed that Gomez would not be available to face Wolves, but has offered no other update on the defender’s as yet unspecified issue.

Potential return date: Unknown

Wataru Endo

He’s largely been a bit-part player for Liverpool, but Wataru Endo could have provided useful depth for Slot in light of injuries elsewhere - if only the Japan international wasn’t now injured himself!

Slot revealed ahead of the Brighton match that it would be a matter of “weeks” before Endo returned from an ankle injury, and the last we heard from the Reds’ boss on the matter was a confirmation that he would also be missing from the matchday squad against Wolves.

Potential return date: January 2026

Giovanni Leoni

Having suffered an ACL injury on his Liverpool debut - the Carabao Cup third-round victory over Southampton - back in September, Giovanni Leoni is expected to be out for the remainder of the season.

“Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game... it's very hard to take the positive side. There's never a positive side - but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”

Potential return date: Autumn 2026