Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Slot at his press conference on Tuesday(Image: Liverpool YouTube)

Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez have handed Liverpool a double injury blow ahead of the Reds’ trip to Aston Villa.

Arne Slot has confirmed both players will miss the trip to Villa Park, with the England international also expected to be out for the majority of the season.

The Netherlands international missed Sunday’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers after suffering a knock in last week’s draw to Everton, with Slot revealing he is yet to overcome the issue.

Meanwhile, Gomez was forced off early on in the FA Cup exit to Plymouth Argyle with a recurrence of a hamstring injury in his first game back, having previously been sidelined since the end of December with the same issue.

READ MORE:Arne Slot press conference LIVE - Liverpool injury news, Cody Gakpo latest, Aston Villa previewREAD MORE:Liverpool face difficult Ryan Gravenberch decision as Arne Slot ponders defensive overhaul

Slot has confirmed that both players remain absent, though Gakpo is at least closing in on a return.

“I think both are not available for tomorrow,” he said.

“Cody is close to being back and Joe will take quite a long time.

“He is going to be out for a number of weeks because of a hamstring injury.

It was a big blow for us and for him.

“He tried to do everything to be with the team.

He worked really hard to come back, then first game when he came back, after two or three minutes we saw him making a sprint and now he's out for weeks again.

It's always very hard for a player in every part of the season, let alone in the part of the season that everybody is looking forward to.”

Article continues below

Meanwhile, Slot revealed that Liverpool are yet to decide if Gomez will require surgery, but confirmed that the defender is expected to return before the end of the season.

“He will miss large parts of the end of the season,” he confirmed.

“But we expect him to be back in the end phase of the season.

“He might need surgery but that's something we still have to assess.”


For more news relating to Everton, visit our sister site EFC Live.