8 hours ago
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Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike appears optimistic that he has sidestepped a fitness concern following the team's 1-0 loss against Galatasaray.
The 23-year-old was forced to hobble off during the Champions League loss in the closing stages as Arne Slot's men pursued an equalizer. Ekitike was left sprawled on the RAMS Park surface after stretching to collect an errant ball from Dominik Szoboszlai, staying grounded following the incident.
His substitution occurred mere moments after the Dutch manager gambled by introducing Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah in an attempt to breathe life into a toiling frontline. Despite flashes of promise, with much of the attacking thrust channelled through the Egyptian down the right flank, the Reds failed to salvage a draw.
Liverpool concludes its punishing sequence of three successive away fixtures with a journey to Stamford Bridge to meet Chelsea on Saturday.
The Reds will be crossing their fingers that Ekitike has escaped any prolonged absence, so he remains available after the France international produced an encouraging beginning following his summer switch from Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Athletic's James Pearce used social media to ease fitness worries, posting: "Hugo Ekitike confident he only had cramp in his hamstring rather than anything more serious."
Liverpool will head into the clash against Enzo Maresca's outfit nursing its Turkish setback, which represents an unusual occurrence during Slot's reign after enduring consecutive disappointments.
Alisson Becker will be absent from the Chelsea game after being substituted late in the match, while there remains concern regarding Ekitike's condition, with Liverpool potentially facing the prospect of being without its leading scorer for Saturday's clash.
"He felt something when he had to reach for the ball," said Slot. "I think we all know which one it was when we were trying to force something.
"I think at that moment in time, on the other side, there was someone on the floor as well, so the referee blew his whistle, and I wasn't even thinking we had an injury, but Hugo felt something.
"After the game, that's always the difficult thing with these moments when players feel like it is not too bad.
"But when you just walk around, it is something different than when you make a sprint or have to shoot on target.
"He said he couldn't continue, so we had to take him off.
"Let's see how he is for the weekend."
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