Arne Slot described Hugo Ekitike’s harm as “really bad” after the France worldwide was stretchered off throughout Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
On the night time Alexander Isak made a shock begin following a prolonged lay-off, Ekitike was harm with what gave the impression to be a critical decrease leg harm simply earlier than the half-hour mark at Anfield.
The ahead dropped to the turf with no one close to him and clutched his proper ankle space, showing in seen ache earlier than receiving remedy surrounded by his team-mates.
He then left the sector on a stretcher, to get replaced by Mohamed Salah, with Slot suggesting the harm was “not good” amid fears he had suffered an Achilles harm.
Talking to Amazon Prime, Slot stated: “He is not good. We might all see that it did not look good. He went dwelling within the second half so I have never seen him but.
“Losing a game is hard but again losing a player is something we’ve had many times this season. It’s very hard for him at this time of the season.”
This does not look good. The child is distraught.
In his post-match press convention, Slot added: “It seems actually dangerous however it’s tough for me to say how dangerous. Tomorrow we’ll examine this additional, how dangerous that is for him.
“Let’s see but that it doesn’t look good is clear.”
Ekitike has scored 19 targets for Liverpool and France this season and was prone to function for his nation at this summer time’s World Cup if match.
Ibrahima Konate added: “I’m very sad for him. I think it is bad.
“I do not know. I heard many issues, however I do not need to speak about that as a result of with the World Cup, all the issues coming this summer time, it’s extremely exhausting for him at this second. I ship him my prayers and the whole lot.”
Slot boosted by Liverpool display
Meanwhile, Slot took positives from Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final exit.
The Reds came into the second leg with a mountain to climb having been thoroughly outclassed in last Wednesday’s first leg at the Parc des Princes, where the holders’ dominance was not reflected by the 2-0 scoreline.
PSG’s missed opportunities allowed Anfield to dream of a famous comeback but it was not to be as key interventions and a controversially overturned penalty frustrated a vastly improved Liverpool.
Ousmane Dembele’s second-half brace eventually sealed PSG’s 2-0 second-leg win and progress to the semi-finals with a 4-0 aggregate triumph, but Slot took hope from a night that saw Liverpool’s final route to silverware end.
Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring in opposition to Liverpool
“We made a lot of progression compared to last week,” the Liverpool boss stated. “I have to give a lot of credit to the players, how hard they worked.
“I’ve to offer numerous credit score to our followers, how they helped us tonight to execute our gameplan. If we now have a excessive press, it is so useful if there are followers behind you, to maintain on pushing you.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of the many examples of this season where we weren’t able to score from the many chances we had.
“Once more, we have been up to now underperforming when it comes to xG [expected goals] and that’s simply an ongoing factor with us all through the entire season.
“Add to that, as it seems to be a bad injury [to Ekitike]. We don’t know for sure yet. Add to that another intervention of the VAR, which went not in our favour and that’s also not for the first time this season.
“After all we’re very dissatisfied as a result of there have been elements within the second half the place you can simply really feel if we are able to rating now that is going to turn into a particular night time. However the future seems very brilliant for this staff, as a result of we have proven that we are able to compete with the champions of Europe in our stadium, to be the dominant staff.
“Not many teams can be dominant against Paris Saint-Germain and generate so many chances as we did. But, yeah, chances is one thing, scoring is a second.”
Liverpool’s consideration turns from pushing for Champions League glory to making sure they qualify for subsequent season’s competitors as their Premier League marketing campaign resumes with Sunday’s derby at Everton, dwell on Sky Sports activities.
Sunday nineteenth April 1:00pm
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‘Slot must qualify for CL to maintain his job’
Tim Sherwood on Sky Sports activities:
“Liverpool were the better team tonight.
“I nonetheless assume it was a penalty [for Liverpool]. There was contact into the again of the leg. He’s entitled to go down with that contact.
“If they play like that, they will 100 per cent qualify for the Champions League.
“This tie was misplaced within the first leg. Why did not they go over there and have a go?
“Arne Slot needs to qualify for the Champions League to keep his job.
“However he must be inspired by that second-half efficiency.”
