A miserable night for Liverpool in Istanbul saw two players struck down by injury during their 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Firstly, Alisson Becker stayed down after making a crucial save from Victor Osimhen in the 56th minute and had to be substituted, with Giorgi Mamardashvili suddenly thrust into action.
Midway through the second half, Hugo Ekitike was added to the casualty list after stretching to try and win possession and he too was forced off, with Alexis Mac Allister duly coming on for the final quarter of the match.
Slot issues injury updates on Alisson and Ekitike
Shortly after the full-time whistle, Arne Slot issued an update on the two injury blows that his team sustained tonight, and his initial verdict was a mixed one for Liverpool fans.
Speaking to Prime Video Sport (via Liverpool World), the Reds boss said: “Hugo Ekitike [is] hopefully not in a bad way, [but] Alisson going off….it is never positive if you go like this. You can be sure he’s not playing on Saturday.”
Encouraging on Ekitike, but Alisson will be a huge miss
The confirmed absence of Liverpool’s number 1 for the Chelsea game is a monumental blow, having excelled in the weekend defeat to Crystal Palace and also made a few smart saves tonight before going off through injury.
We don’t know the full extent of that problem just yet, but we can only hope that it might be short-term issue and the timing of the international break gives him a chance to recover in time to face Manchester United on 19 October.
At least Slot’s update on Ekitike was more encouraging, with the striker potentially overcoming his knock before Saturday’s visit to Stamford Bridge and having the opportunity to build on his impressive start to life with the Reds (five goals in nine games).
Even if he’s not quite at 100% by then, the Frenchman could perhaps make the bench at the weekend, with Alexander Isak starting at centre-forward and Federico Chiesa hopefully available too after he missed tonight’s match with a slight ‘niggle’.
We’ll likely receive more informed updates on those two injury concerns as the week progresses, with Liverpool fans keeping their fingers crossed that Alisson won’t be sidelined for long and Ekitike will be able to face Chelsea.
A penny for the thoughts of FSG? They never backed klopp, it’s why he left. and now they are watching a manager in slot who’s out of his depth with 450 million spent. Jamie carragher called it a mess, time for slot to earn his money he said. We shouldn’t be this inept after spending 450 million. Slot had an easy ride last season on the back of what klopp built. The honeymoon period is over. Bring back the pressing game or he won’t be Liverpool manager for long.
What a happy time inside your mind again, Misty.
The record never changes.
Sad to see Klopp go, but for all the great entertaining footy, the silverware where it mattered didn’t arrive.
Not his fault btw.
Oppositions were just hard to knock off their perch at the time.
As for your previously discredited gripe, the £450m has been spent on a few high quality players., who are yet to gel properly.
It’s taken Gravenberch a while hasn’t it, but he’s showing what he couldn’t under Klopp now.
Maybe it’s a Dutch thing ?
As for the pressing game, perhaps there’s a tactical easing off for now ? Teams over time will “park the bus” to a more stubborn standard.
This season’s a marathon, not a sprint…