Not Alisson or VVD: Paul Merson names the one player Liverpool can’t afford to lose through injury

Paul Merson has named the one Liverpool player who he believes the Reds cannot afford to do without at present.

Although Arne Slot’s side have enjoyed a timely resurgence in December, they’ve been counting the cost of numerous injury problems, with Alexander Isak becoming a long-term casualty after fracturing his fibula in the recent win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The champions are also having to cope without Mo Salah while he’s at the Africa Cup of Nations, but curiously they’ve been unbeaten in the seven matches they’ve played since the Egyptian was dropped from the starting XI.

Merson: Liverpool can’t afford to lose Ekitike to injury

In his latest Premier League predictions column for Sportskeeda, Merson heaped praise on Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool’s top scorer this season with 11 goals, and suggested that the Reds would be in deep trouble if the Frenchman were to get injured.

The Sky Sports pundit wrote: ‘I must also mention Hugo Ekitike, who has been outstanding since his first game at Liverpool. That assist for Wirtz in the last game is just world-class! Liverpool will be hoping Ekitike doesn’t get injured because if he’s out, they have no-one to do what he does!’

Liverpool have become hugely reliant on Ekitike

The 23-year-old has thankfully proven to be robust so far in his time at Anfield – the only fixture for which he was unavailable was through suspension – and Slot will be praying that the striker’s fitness can hold up throughout a hectic first two months of 2026 while Isak is sidelined.

The Reds will play nine matches in January and potentially seven more in February (depending on progress in FA Cup and Champions League), and there’ll be a huge reliance on Ekitike to not only remain fit throughout that time, but also to maintain the tremendous scoring form he’s shown this season.

The likes of Salah and Cody Gakpo could play at centre-forward if needed, and Florian Wirtz could potentially be used as a ‘false 9’, but that’d involve pulling players out of positions where they’re most effective and wouldn’t be ideal for multiple games in a row.

As Merson referenced, the Frenchman isn’t just a potent finisher. His technique is also magnificent, as he showed with the touch to get away from Andre Trinade in the lead-up to Liverpool’s second goal against Wolves on Saturday.

Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk are two answers which’d instantly spring to mind if supporters were asked which player the Reds could least do without this season, and our number 22 is rapidly hurtling towards the same level of importance at Anfield.

Pray that he doesn’t pull up with an injury, especially in the next two months with Isak already sidelined.

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