Liverpool Suffer Major Injury Blows as Alisson and Ekitike Miss Out Ahead of Chelsea Showdown
Liverpool’s preparations for their crucial Premier League clash against Chelsea have been hit hard by injury setbacks, with star goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Hugo Ekitike both ruled out of Saturday’s trip to Stamford Bridge.
The Reds suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League earlier this week, and to make matters worse, Alisson picked up a hamstring injury in the second half. Manager Arne Slot has confirmed that the Brazilian shot-stopper will not only miss the Chelsea game but is also unlikely to return in time to face Manchester United after the international break.
“It depends on how quickly he recovers,” Slot explained. “It’s clear he won’t play for Brazil, and I’d be surprised if he’s back for our first game after the break. We just need to wait and see how his recovery goes.”
With Alisson sidelined, summer signing Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to make his Premier League debut. The Georgian goalkeeper replaced Alisson against Galatasaray and has already impressed in the Carabao Cup victory over Southampton.
Up front, Alexander Isak is expected to return to the starting XI after being rested in midweek. Both he and Mohamed Salah started on the bench in Turkey but came on in the second half, along with Alexis Mac Allister and Conor Bradley, to inject some much-needed energy into the team.
Another player on Liverpool’s injury watchlist is Federico Chiesa, who missed the Galatasaray match due to a minor fitness concern described by Slot as a “small niggle.” Meanwhile, young defender Giovanni Leoni faces a long road to recovery after undergoing surgery on an ACL injury sustained during his debut against Southampton. He is expected to be out for up to 12 months.
As for Hugo Ekitike, the French forward remains a major doubt for the Chelsea match, adding to Liverpool’s growing list of absentees.
Predicted Liverpool Line-Up (4-2-3-1):
Mamardashvili; Bradley, Van Dijk, Konaté, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Isak
Injured: Alisson, Leoni
Doubts: Ekitike, Chiesa
Match Details:
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Fixture: Chelsea vs Liverpool
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Competition: Premier League
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Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
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Kick-off: 5:30 PM (BST)
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Venue: Stamford Bridge, London.