Arne Slot is waiting for an update on the fitness of his Liverpool players ahead of the Premier League clash against ArsenalLiverpool head coach Arne SlotLiverpool head coach Arne Slot(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

Liverpool are back in action on Thursday evening with the trip to runaway Premier League leaders Arsenal. And the Reds are still waiting to discover exactly who they can call upon for the game against the odds-on title favourites.

The biggest question mark is over the fitness of Hugo Ekitike. The France international, who is Liverpool’s top scorer with season with 11 goals, missed the 2-2 draw at Fulham on Sunday due to a hamstring complaint.

Reds head coach Arne Slot, though, is hopeful the striker will be available for the clash at the Emirates.

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“It’s not a big surprise he gets a bit of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness),” said Slot.

“We were hoping it would be DOMS and we could have used him as a sub but, unfortunately, we saw a bit more and couldn’t take a risk.”

Ekitike’s availability would be a major bonus with Alexander Isak out for several months as he recovers from surgery on an ankle injury that included a fractured fibula after being caught by Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven when scoring Liverpool’s opener in the 2-1 away win before Christmas.

Florian Wirtz is expected to continue after being able to feature and score at Fulham despite suffering similar hamstring soreness over the Christmas period.

However, Mohamed Salah remains on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt having this week progressed to the quarter-finals while teenage centre-back Giovanni Leoni is ruled out for the season after ACL surgery in September.

Wataru Endo also remains unavailable having missed the last month with an ankle complaint sustained in the 3-3 draw at Leeds United.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will be without three players. Defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera are sidelined along with 16-year-old rising star Max Dowman.

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