Hugo Ekitike Injury Update
Hugo Ekitike’s minor hamstring injury kept him out of Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Fulham on Sunday, January 4, at Craven Cottage, a game that saw Arne Slot’s side lean on Cody Gakpo up front after a late decision to pull their top scorer from the squad. Arsenal Radar (@ArsenalRadar) reported on X that Liverpool boss Arne Slot confirmed Hugo Ekitike missed the Fulham game due to a hamstring injury.
On Sunday at Fulham, Liverpool listed Ekitike out with what they initially called a “minor fitness issue,” then Slot clarified in TV and press hits that it’s a slight hamstring problem picked up in training heading into the game. He went for an MRI before the squad traveled and those scans confirmed a small hamstring strain, not a major tear, which is why the club still hopes he can be involved again as early as the Arsenal clash if he responds well in the next couple of days.
Slot pointed straight at workload as the trigger, noting that with Alexander Isak out for weeks and then breaking his leg, Ekitike had to log more minutes across the last month than at any other point in his Premier League adaptation. It’s a little concerning to see Liverpool lose their form striker at the start of a packed January, but the language from the staff and local reports is all about short-term management, not a long layoff.
Why Hugo Ekitike is Not Playing?
Ekitike isn’t playing because of that slight hamstring injury and the medical team’s choice to be cautious with a player who’s only 23 and still adjusting to the physical demands of English football. Slot told Sky and local reporters that the decision to rule him out at Fulham came late, once they saw the scan and how he felt in the final session, and Liverpool labeled his status “doubtful” for Arsenal with no guarantee either way yet. Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) reported on X that Arne Slot said Hugo Ekitike has a slight hamstring injury from heavy minutes but is hopeful to return for the Arsenal game.
In practical terms, it’s pulled Liverpool’s main goal threat out of the XI right as the fixtures stack up, so Gakpo started through the middle at Craven Cottage with Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah working off him and Diogo Jota an option from the bench. If Ekitike can’t go at the Emirates, that same structure probably repeats, with youngsters only on the fringe of the rotation for central minutes.
Hugo Ekitike Stats
Before this hamstring issue, Ekitike had been one of the signings of the season: 8 league goals and 2 assists in 18 Premier League games, outperforming his xG of 5.37 and ranking among the division’s top scorers. Across those 18 matches he’s also produced 23 shots on target and chipped in 18 successful dribbles, giving Liverpool a vertical, pressing focal point that’s changed the feel of their attack.
More basic output looks good too: in the early 2025‑26 league slate he logged 2 goals and 1 assist in 4 appearances, with 303 minutes played and goals in wins over Bournemouth and Newcastle as he settled into Slot’s system. Some will remember the chatter last year about whether he could translate Ligue 1 flashes into week-to-week Premier League production; those numbers are a pretty clean answer.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on current publicly available reports about Hugo Ekitike’s injury status, match availability, and statistics. Team decisions, medical evaluations, and fixtures can change quickly, so readers should cross-check key details with official Liverpool communications and trusted football news sources before relying on them.
