--- title: "Team News: Everton vs Liverpool injury, suspension list, predicted XIs" canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/first-team/match-previews/url-slug-everton-vs-liverpool-team-news-injury-suspensions-predicted-xi-derby-april-2026/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Kelan Sarson" section: "Articles" published: "2026-04-16T17:30:00Z" modified: "2026-09-22T13:37:54Z" --- # Team News: Everton vs Liverpool injury, suspension list, predicted XIs **Arne Slot faces the most defining week of his Anfield tenure as he prepares to lead a depleted Liverpool into the heat of a Merseyside derby. What was once billed as a victory lap for the defending Premier League champions has spiraled into a scrap for pride and Champions League survival.** Following a staggering £450 million summer rebuild, few could have predicted the Reds would be entering the final stretch of the season trophyless. [The midweek 4-0 aggregate dismantling](https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/liverpool-psg-champions-league-match-report-dembele/) at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain has snuffed out the final flame of hope for silverware, leaving Slot under intense scrutiny from a disgruntled section of the Anfield faithful. With a trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium looming on Sunday, it’s a new ground for the Toffees in the heat of the Merseyside Derby. Regardless of the new surroundings, Liverpool also hasn’t tasted victory since 2021 on the road in such a tense contest, and the Dutchman’s task has been made infinitely harder by a “brutal” injury list that has claimed 17-goal talisman Hugo Ekitike. Here is the full injury breakdown ahead of Sunday’s showdown. ## Hugo Ekitike – Achilles The biggest blow to Liverpool’s hopes is the loss of the Frenchman, [who ruptured his Achilles](https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/liverpool-hugo-ekitike-injury-news-psg-season-over/) tendon during the PSG second leg. With 17 goals in an impressive debut season, Ekitike is now ruled out for the remainder of the campaign and France’s World Cup quest. **Slot’s View:** “It is devastating for Hugo. He hasn’t been operated on yet. First thoughts are with him being out for such a long time, missing out on so many special moments. He will come back stronger, I am 100 per cent sure.” ## Joe Gomez – Muscle The versatile defender’s return against PSG lasted just 22 minutes. Slot confirmed on Friday that Gomez will play no part in the derby to avoid a long-term risk. **Slot’s View:** “Joe is not available. He said to me, ‘I’m not convinced if I can keep sprinting,’ so it is better to not take the risk. He will be assessed again next week.” > An update on the fitness of Joe Gomez and Jayden Danns ⤵️ > > — Liverpool FC (@LFC) [April 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/LFC/status/2045065227348152745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## Alisson Becker – Hamstring Liverpool’s No. 1 remains sidelined, though the player himself has suggested he could be back sooner than Slot’s cautious estimates. The Brazilian goalkeeper has missed the past four games because of a hamstring injury. Ahead of PSG, Slot admitted that Alisson still had not trained. The expectancy is that the Brazilian might be back towards the end of the month. **Slot’s View:** “He is working very hard but he is not training with the team yet. We hope to have him back in the near future, but he will not perform this Sunday.” ## Jayden Danns – Hamstring The striker suffered terrible luck on his return to action for the under-21s last month. Danns had to be forced off in the 29th minute of a clash against Man City, after many a month in the treatment room. Reds U21s boss Rob Page has come out to soften fears that Danns would be out for a long time again, but Liverpool will have to err on the side of caution when it comes to the tricky 20-year-old. While there was talk of the youngster filling the void left by Ekitike, Slot confirmed the youngster isn’t quite ready for the intensity of a Merseyside derby. **Slot’s View:** “Jayden has been so unlucky. I’d really like him to be back, but the reality is that he’s not on the bench for us this weekend.” ## Wataru Endo – Ankle The Japanese captain hasn’t featured since February’s 1-0 win over Sunderland. While his Liverpool season is over, the focus is now on getting him fit for the World Cup in June. ## Conor Bradley – Knee The right-back is still recovering from surgery following ligament damage sustained against Arsenal in January. He isn’t expected back until pre-season. ## Giovanni Leoni – ACL The summer signing from Parma remains a long-term absentee after his cruel debut injury back in September. He is ruled out until the 2026/27 campaign. | **Player** | **Injury** | **Status** | **Potential Return** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Hugo Ekitike** | Achilles (Rupture) | Surgery pending; out for the season | **2027** | | **Alisson Becker** | Hamstring | Training individually; nearing return | **May 3 (vs Man Utd)** | | **Joe Gomez** | Muscle | Ruled out for the derby | **April 25 (vs Crystal Palace)** | | **Wataru Endo** | Ankle (Ligaments) | Recovering from surgery | **June (World Cup)** | | **Conor Bradley** | Knee (Ligaments) | Post-surgery rehabilitation | **Pre-season (July 2026)** | | **Giovanni Leoni** | ACL (Knee) | Long-term rehab; back on grass | **2026/27 Season** | | **Jayden Danns** | Hamstring | Returning to fitness via U21s | **May 2026** | | **Stefan Bajcetic** | Hamstring | Long-term absence; multiple setbacks | **N/A** | ## **Stefan Bajcetic – hamstring** It has now been nearly 11 months since the midfielder’s season-long nightmare began while on loan at Las Palmas. After undergoing surgery for a complex issue, Stefan Bajcetic has been plagued by a series of frustrating setbacks that have kept him in the treatment room rather than on the pitch. Consequently, he has yet to make a single appearance at any level this term, leaving his return to action shrouded in uncertainty. The task at the Hill Dickinson Stadium is now crystal clear. Slot must find a way to patch together a frontline capable of breaking a four-year hoodoo on enemy turf, all while navigating a nervy defensive situation without the calming presence of Alisson Becker. With a disgruntled section of the support growing louder, the Dutchman’s future may well depend on his ability to conjure a result from a squad down to its bare bones. In the furnace of a Merseyside derby, excuses about the medical room carry little weight; only points do.