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Liverpool injury list: Reds players out, potential return dates, predicted lineup for next game vs.Brighton
Following up last year’s Premier League title has proven exceedingly difficult for Liverpool in the 2025/26 season.
The Reds experienced a brutal start to the campaign, down in the bottom half of the table for much of the 2025 calendar year.
However, a recent uptick in domestic form has seen them push into the top four and, with their strong Champions League standing as well, Liverpool are now poised to finish strong should they remain on the rise.
The Sporting News brings you their current injury list, as well as a look at their latest team news and a preview of how they could line up in their next match.
MORE: An updated list of top goal scorers in the Premier League for the 2025/26 season
Liverpool injury list
Below is the latest injury picture for Liverpool, including estimated return dates for those who are sidelined.
Alexander Isak
Injury: Broken leg
Expected return date: March
Alexander Isak was struggling to make an impact in his first few months at Anfield, and his woes worsened when he suffered a broken leg while scoring the opening goal in Liverpool’s win over Tottenham on December 23.
While no timeline has been put on his return, the general consensus seems to be “a couple of months” which could see him return sometime in March.
Joe Gomez
Injury: Hamstring
Expected return date: January
Joe Gomez’s pesky hamstrings have cropped up again, with a minor issue to keep him out for a few weeks. He suffered a muscle problem in December against Brighton and it’s not expected to sideline him for long.
Wataru Endo
Injury: Knock
Expected return date: January
Stefan Bajcetic
Injury: Hamstring
Expected return date: January
Ever since Stefan Bajcetic impressed in his early Liverpool days at the beginning of the 2022/23 season, Reds fans have been clamoring for the 21-year-old to see more time. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered his ability to get on the field since returning from a loan spell at Red Bull Salzburg.
The Liverpool youth product is supposedly nearing the end of his recovery from a serious hamstring injury, but constant delays to his timeline have fans skeptical on when he will actually be available for play.
Giovanni Leoni
Injury: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
Expected return date: August 2026
Summer signing Leoni suffered a nightmare debut as he horrifically tore an ACL against Southampton. The Italian defender underwent immediate surgery and his campaign has already been cruelly ended.
Liverpool lineup vs. Leeds: Projected starting XI
Along with the injured players, Liverpool are without Mohamed Salah who jetted off to AFCON duty shortly after his bombshell post-match interview.
Formation 4-3-3
Alisson (GK)
Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez
Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister
Szoboszlai, Ekitike, Wirtz
Liverpool fixture schedule: Next five games
Liverpool have three more league games, including a massive trip to title contenders Arsenal, before the FA Cup third-round match against Barnsley on a Monday.
Then the Reds have one more league game before returning to Champions League play on January 21 against French side Marseille.
Liverpool vs. Leeds United | Premier League | Thursday, January 1
Fulham vs. Liverpool | Premier League | Sunday, January 4
Arsenal vs. Chelsea | Premier League | Thursday, January 8
Liverpool vs. Barnsley | FA Cup (3rd round) | Monday, January 12
Liverpool vs. Burnley | Premier League | Saturday, January 17
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Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Portsmouth: Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera latest
Arsenal will begin their bid to win the FA Cup for the 15th time in their history when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday’s meeting with Championship strugglers Portsmouth.
The Gunners missed the chance to further extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in Thursday’s underwhelming goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
While their five-game winning league run came to an end, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with the fact that his side are now unbeaten in seven competitive matches ahead of Sunday’s cup tie and Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Portsmouth, who are languishing in 21st spot in the Championship standings.
Piero Hincapie
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Hincapie was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem in the 57th minute of Thursday’s draw with Liverpool. Arteta now faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of the defender’s injury.
Kai Havertz
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Match fitness
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Havertz has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for months. However, he has been left out of Arsenal’s last two matchday squads as he continues to build up his fitness. There is a possibility that the forward could make his first appearance since August in Sunday’s FA Cup clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Calafiori has sat out Arsenal’s last four matches with a muscle injury. The defender is making progress in his recovery, but he is not expected to be ready for the upcoming trip to the south coast.
Cristhian Mosquera
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Like Calafiori, Mosquera is closing in on a return to action after missing over a month of action due to an ankle injury. However, the former Valencia defender will not be available for selection this weekend.
Max Dowman
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Max Dowman is likely to be out until February after sustaining an ankle problem while playing for Arsenal Under-21s in last month’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no players suspended for the third-round tie.
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Full confirmed list of Arsenal ins and outs in January transfer window as first deal announced
Arsenal transfer ins and outs as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta get to work in the January window
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal remain in the driving seat to clinch the Premier League title crown this season – and they could strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad to bolster their chances.
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Whether or not the right players are out there remains to be seen, but with Arteta enduring several injury blows already this season – particularly in defence – the manager will be keeping a close eye on potential targets.
The Gunners splashed the cash in the summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to the Emirates Stadium – so a loan deal might favour the club
Gabriel Martinelli ban and fine verdicts as FA make punishment decision on Arsenal ace
There could also be high-profile exits, both loans and permanent deals, with young midfield talent Ethan Nwaneri linked with an exit. Other youngsters could also make loan moves to get a taste of first-team football.
With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Arsenal so far this January.
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News Liverpool’s injury list, suspensions and availability
Read the latest information on injuries, suspensions and availability in the Liverpool men’s squad.
Injuries
Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike was unavailable for the clash with Fulham because of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Arne Slot was asked whether he will be fit for the game at Arsenal on January 8.
Slot on January 7: “He has not trained with us until now and let’s see if he can today.
“I’ve said, I think, two or three days ago when we played Fulham that he is not going to be out for long but because games come so fast he is in between maybe training with the team or it would take him one or two days extra.”
Wataru Endo
The midfielder has been out of action with an ankle injury since appearing in the 3-3 draw at Leeds United on December 6.
Alexander Isak
Isak is facing a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture on December 22.
He sustained the issue while scoring against Tottenham Hotspur two days prior.
Slot on December 23: “It’s going to be a long injury. For a couple of months. That’s a big, big, big disappointment for him and as a result of that of course also for us.”
Slot did also confirm he is confident Isak will be able to play again during the 2025-26 season.
Giovanni Leoni
The defender is amid a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Slot on September 26: “He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for a year. Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game… it’s very hard to take the positive side.
“There’s never a positive side – but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”
Availability
Mohamed Salah
After featuring off the bench versus Brighton on December 13, the forward is now with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Salah scored in the group games against Zimbabwe and South Africa to help his country reach the last 16. They are next in action on January 5.
Suspensions
Conor Bradley
Bradley is one yellow card away from receiving a one-match suspension in the Champions League.
The Reds travel to Marseille on January 21 for matchday seven of the league phase and then host Qarabag a week later.
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