Hugo Ekitike will return to the Liverpool starting lineup when they take on Manchester United in a Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool will be desperate to return to winning ways when they welcome Manchester United to Anfield on Sunday evening. Arne Slot has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.

Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch have recovered from hamstring injuries to be fit and available to take on Manchester United. However, Alisson Becker (thigh) and Giovanni Leoni (knee) remain in the treatment room. Additionally, Slot has been sweating over Wataru Endo’s fitness this week.

However, Endo would not have started against Manchester United anyway, and his absence may not hurt the home side. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Slot provided fitness updates on Konate, Gravenberch, Alisson, and Alexander Isak.

The Liverpool manager said, “Ibou has come back to us, started the sessions again and is expected to train with us today. Ryan is completely fit, although we still have to train twice. But if you ask me now, he is completely fit.”

“Like I always say, it’s so difficult to say because the end phase of rehab can always give you positives or negatives, but he [Alisson] will not play on the weekend and also not next week. Fitness-wise, I think he’s [Isak] now close to the level he should be and now I think we can judge him in a fair way from now on.”

Giorgi Mamardashvili will continue to deputise for Alisson Becker between the sticks, with Liverpool lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday. The backline will feature Jeremie Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez, with Frimpong replacing Conor Bradley in the right-back berth.

As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister in the double pivot, with Dominik Szoboszlai getting the nod over Florian Wirtz to reprise the no. 10 role. Finally, Hugo Ekitike will lead the line for the Reds against Manchester United, with Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah being the two wide attackers. So, Wirtz and Alexander Isak will be backup options on the bench for the home side.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike