8 Liverpool players set to miss Everton game as Arne Slot issues surprise update

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Liverpool is set to be without eight players for Sunday's Premier League trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Arne Slot issuing a detailed update in Friday's press conference

Liverpool injury update ahead of Sunday's Merseyside derby(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool will head into its first Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium with eight players unavailable.

The Reds are looking to bounce back from the midweek Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain and take an important step toward securing a top-five finish. With Everton just five points behind the champions, it is also involved in the race for a European spot.

Arne Slot acknowledged that in Friday's press conference and also made a surprise announcement that Joe Gomez will miss Sunday's game. The defender was replaced against PSG and, although Slot said he was not injured, the Liverpool head coach confirmed that the ex-Charlton man will miss this weekend's encounter.

As will Hugo Ekitike. He suffered a ruptured Achilles' tendon against PSG, which is set to prevent the striker from playing again this season or featuring in this summer's World Cup.

Slot said: "Devastating for him, coming to a new club, having so much impact straight away, playing against your former club in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, with so much more to come for him in the summer.

"Your first thoughts always for him, being out for such a long time, missing so many special moments.

"But he is not the first and won’t be the last that will experience something like this at the start of his career.

"I am 100 percent sure he will be one of those that in 10-15 years, he will say his injury made him become stronger."

Hugo Ekitike will not play again this season due to his Achilles injury(Image: Getty Images)

Slot also revealed Alexander Isak is still not ready to play 90 minutes yet, but added it is important the forward gets up to full speed soon, with Ekitike injured.

He added that young center-forward Jayden Danns, who has struggled with injuries for the last 15 months, is still not an option.

"I think there's still a lot of steps to be made if you've not even played 90 minutes [for] the Under-21s, let alone then play a Premier League game," said Slot.

"I really like him to be back, but the reality is that he's not on the bench for us this weekend."

There were no questions on Alisson, who is nearing a return from injury but is not expected to be available for this weekend.

Long-term absentees Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo will not play again this season, while Stefan Bajcetic has not made a single appearance this campaign due to injury issues.