Relief for Liverpool following Hugo Ekitike injury scare

There were groans from the traveling fans when Hugo Ekitike limped out of Saturday’s league game at Amex Stadium after just eight minutes. The French striker was involved in a collision with James Milner and immediately signalled to the bench. His early exit left Liverpool short on firepower up front and forced Arne Slot to reshuffle by bringing Curtis Jones on.

The Reds have struggled to make their chances count since the season started - an issue which was further compounded by Alexander Isak suffering a fractured fibula. With Isak is still a few weeks away from making his return, losing Ekitike at this stage of the campaign would be disastrous.

Ekitike on duty with France

Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing more serious than a dead leg. “Hugo could play tomorrow if he had to. It was a dead leg — a collision that led to him going off. It was not helpful,” Slot told reporters.

Hugo showed up for duty with France in Clairefontaine on Monday without any difficulty walking.

France fly out to the United States for two friendlies - against Brazil at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough on Thursday then against Colombia at Northwest Stadium in Maryland three days later.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.