Liverpool: Arne Slot provides Hugo Ekitike injury update after Brighton defeat

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Evening Standard

·21 marzo 2026

Liverpool: Arne Slot provides Hugo Ekitike injury update after Brighton defeat

Striker was forced off after just eight minutes

Arne Slot was unsure how many games of the high-stakes Premier League run-in Hugo Ekitike will miss after the Liverpool forward was forced off early in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton with a leg injury.

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Ekitike came off worse from a collision with James Milner just minutes into the lunchtime kick-off and remained on the turf in visible pain, requiring medical attention before limping to the side of the pitch.

He attempted to play on but almost immediately signalled that he would be unable to continue and tearfully left the field with just eight minutes on the clock, forcing Slot into a reshuffle.

With no other recognised striker to turn to on his bench, the Liverpool boss threw on Curtis Jones in an attempt to create a fluid attacking unit in combination with Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz.

Yet the forced experiment ultimately failed as the Reds were unable to conjure much attacking threat and lacked any real clinical finishing, ultimately losing their second league game in three outings to enter the international break on a winless run.

Ekitike received treatment on the pitch and tried to play on before being substituted

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Speaking at full-time, Slot admitted that Brighton were the “better team” in the second half, which saw Danny Welbeck score his decisive second of the match amid several other promising chances for the hosts, and highlighted the glaring weakness Ekitike’s injury caused on his own side.

“Of course, it was a big blow for us that one of the two strikers we have available is already not here [Alexander Isak] and then the other one [Ekitke] has to go off,” the Dutchman told TNT Sports.

“That’s usually not helpful, especially when you look at how well Hugo played on Wednesday [against Galatasaray in the Champions League].”

Asked if he had any update on whether Ekitike had suffered a dead leg or something more serious, Slot initially said only that the issue was “bad enough not to be able to continue”.

“I think the players, the fans know there were only eight games to go to qualify for the Champions League and then every game you have to miss is something you’re upset about,” he reasoned, addressing the emotions evident on Ekitike’s face when he was withdrawn.

“I think him having to go off, not being able to help the team anymore, with something that is just a bit of bad luck... because it’s not like he’s out for three months - at least that’s what I assume - but it’s bad enough not to be able to continue, that’s a big blow for him and in the end a big blow for us.”

The Liverpool forward was emotional as he left the pitch early in the loss to Brighton

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Later, in his post-match press conference, Slot appeared to confirm that Ekitike had suffered “a dead leg, as you call it here I think” before optimistically adding: “Hugo, I think he could play tomorrow if he needed to.”

Luckily for Liverpool, there is now a two-week international break during which Ekitike will be assessed and fellow striker Isak will continue his own rehabilitation from a broken leg that has kept him sidelined since December.

In the meantime, Slot, his squad and the Reds’ fanbase will be left hoping they can welcome back at least one of their two designated line-leaders by the time their FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City rolls around on April 4.

That is followed by the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain on April 8 , for which Slot has said he expects Isak to be available, before the fight for a top-five finish in the Premier League continues with the visit of Fulham three days later.