Liverpool injury update: Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo latest news and return dates ahead of Leeds United match

Liverpool Injury Update: Latest on Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, and Joe Gomez Return Dates.

The Reds may see relief from their injury woes in the New Year.

As 2025 came to a close, Liverpool celebrated a Premier League victory over Wolves at Anfield, welcoming back several players from injury.

The Reds had to fight hard for their 2-1 win against the league’s bottom team, where summer acquisition Jeremie Frimpong made only his second start in this competition and his first full appearance in over two months.

Conor Bradley, another right-back, overcame a minor injury from the last match to come on as a substitute, while Cody Gakpo also returned from a muscle problem in the second half on Saturday, despite both having trained for just one day before the game.

On the other hand, Florian Wirtz dispelled any concerns regarding his fitness by dominating the match against the Old Gold, scoring his first competitive goal for Liverpool in the process.

However, a number of first-team players remain sidelined, with Alexander Isak being the most significant worry. The £125 million striker is expected to miss a large portion of the season following surgery for a broken leg sustained against Tottenham.

With this in mind, here is the latest update on Liverpool’s injuries and expected return dates as Arne Slot’s team gears up to face Leeds on New Year’s Day.

Hugo Ekitike

No injuries to Hugo Ekitike were officially reported immediately after Saturday’s victory over Wolves, but the in-form forward seemed to be moving somewhat cautiously before his substitution a few minutes from the end at Anfield.

Slot’s comments after the match did not provide any additional details on Ekitike’s status, so it’s possible that the Frenchman was merely experiencing cramp or fatigue during this busy festive season.

Liverpool will certainly hope that he has not sustained any serious injury, especially with Slot’s squad already short on attacking options due to Isak’s injury and the absence of Mohamed Salah for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

If he is available, Ekitike should be ready to lead the attack at home against Leeds on Wednesday.

Expected return date: Wednesday, January 1 vs Leeds (H)

Alexander Isak

After playing only 11 minutes as a substitute against Spurs before Christmas, Isak was confirmed last week to have undergone surgery for an “ankle injury that included a fibula fracture”.

The club did not provide a timeline for his recovery from this “significant” injury.

While Slot expressed confidence that “Isak can still contribute towards the end of the season”, the Swedish player is anticipated to be sidelined for several months.

Expected return date: Late in the 2025/26 season

Joe Gomez

Another player who has recently been sidelined is Joe Gomez, who started in Liverpool’s win against Brighton on December 13 but was substituted less than 30 minutes into the match.

The injury-prone English defender went down off the ball and received treatment on the field before leaving the game.

Slot confirmed that Gomez will not be available for the match against Wolves, but has not provided any further updates regarding the defender’s unspecified injury.

Expected return date: Unknown

Wataru Endo

Although he has primarily been a peripheral player for Liverpool, Wataru Endo could have offered valuable depth for Slot given the injuries to other players – if he weren’t injured himself!

Slot indicated before the Brighton match that it would take a few weeks for Endo to recover from an ankle injury, and the latest update from the Reds’ manager confirmed that he would also be absent from the matchday squad against Wolves.

Expected return date: January 2026

Giovanni Leoni

After suffering an ACL injury during his Liverpool debut – the Carabao Cup third-round win over Southampton – back in September, Giovanni Leoni is expected to miss the rest of the season.

“He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for a year,” Slot remarked about the young Italian centre-back.

“At such a young age, arriving in a new country and performing admirably in your debut match… it can be quite challenging to focus on the positives.

There often seems to be no silver lining – yet one must strive to find a positive aspect, which in this case is his youth; he has many years ahead of him to continue his career after recovering from such a serious injury.”

Potential return date: 2026