Mohamed Salah will replace Hugo Ekitike in the Liverpool starting lineup when they take on Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.

Liverpool will be desperate to return to winning ways and get closer to securing a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League when they lock horns with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Arne Slot has a new injury concern to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.

Hugo Ekitike is the latest absentee after sustaining an achilles injury earlier this week in the UEFA Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain. The French international will miss the remainder of the 2025/26 season.

Ekitike accompanies Alisson Becker (hamstring), Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (knee), Joe Gomez (muscle), and Wataru Endo (ankle) in the treatment room. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Slot provided a fitness update on Alexander Isak. The Dutch tactician also discussed the potential replacements for Ekitike.

The Liverpool head coach said, “He is getting closer and closer. Now we need him [Isak] but there are different options to play as a No.9 as well. Federico Chiesa is also one of them so there are different options, but it’s definitely good to have Alex back now Hugo is injured.”

Meanwhile, Slot also provided an update on Jayden Danns, who has been in the treatment room for a long time. He said, “The good thing for him is that he’s been out for such a long time and he’s now getting back with the U21s, getting some playing time.”

“But I think there’s still a lot of steps to be made if you’ve not even played 90 minutes [for] the U21s, let alone then play a Premier League game. I really like him to be back but the reality is that he’s not on the bench for us this weekend.”

Giorgi Mamardashvili will continue to deputise for Alisson between the sticks, with Liverpool lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Everton on Sunday. The backline will feature Jeremie Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez.

As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch in the double pivot, with Alexis Mac Allister reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Alexander Isak will lead the line for the away side against Liverpool, with Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah completing the numbers in the offensive unit.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Mamardashvilli; Frimpong, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Isak