Sat Oct 04 13:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Liverpool Sweat on Fitness of Chiesa and Ekitike Ahead of Chelsea Clash

**London, UK** – Liverpool face an anxious wait to discover the fitness of key attacking players Federico Chiesa and Hugo Ekitike ahead of their crucial Premier League encounter with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Chiesa missed the Reds’ midweek Champions League defeat to Galatasaray in Istanbul due to a minor fitness concern, while Ekitike was forced off in the 68th minute of the same match. Manager Arne Slot revealed that both players are expected to train on Friday, with a final decision on their availability to be made afterward.

“Hugo is going to train today again and let’s see where he is, and the same can be said for Federico. We have to wait and see after the session where exactly they are,” Slot stated at his pre-match press conference.

Adding to Liverpool’s woes, goalkeeper Alisson Becker is set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury in Turkiye. Slot indicated that the Brazilian is unlikely to feature for both Liverpool and his national team after the upcoming international break, but refrained from setting a definitive return date. Defender Giovanni Leoni remains a long-term absentee due to an ACL injury.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are also grappling with a lengthy injury list, with manager Enzo Maresca confirming that “seven or eight players” will be unavailable for the match. Key players Cole Palmer (injured) and Trevoh Chalobah (suspended) are among those missing, alongside Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, Liam Delap, Dario Essugo, Wesley Fofana, and Andrey Santos.

Maresca emphasized his faith in Chelsea’s youth players to step up in the face of these absences. “I think it’s a fact that I really trust the young players, not just the young players we have signed, but the young players from the academy,” he said. “We will try to adapt and find the right solutions for tomorrow’s game.”

With both sides battling injury concerns, Saturday’s clash promises to be a challenging encounter for Liverpool and Chelsea.

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