Liverpool injury list: Reds players out, potential return dates, predicted lineup for next game vs. Aston Villa

Liverpool injury list: Reds players out, potential return dates, predicted lineup for next game vs. Aston Villa originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Liverpool and Aston Villa meet on Friday in a potentially decisive game in the race for Champions League qualification.

The Reds' 3-2 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford and 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea mean they have not yet secured a top-five finish in the Premier League.

Arne Slot's team come into this game level on points with fifth-placed Villa and four ahead of Bournemouth in sixth. Victory for either side at Villa Park would mathematically ensure a return to Europe's top competition, but a draw or defeat could make the final matchday a nerve-racking experience.

The Sporting News takes stock of the Liverpool injury list and details who could miss out and who could return as the season nears a conclusion.

MORE:An updated list of top goal scorers in the Premier League for the 2025/26 season

Liverpool injury and suspension list

Below is the latest injury picture for Liverpool, including estimated return dates for those who are sidelined.

Mohamed Salah

Injury: Muscle
Expected return date: May 15 (vs. Aston Villa)

Salah left the field in the win over Palace with what the club later described as "a minor muscle injury". The forward missed the United and Chelsea games, and although he is not fully recovered, Slot said he would be able to play "a few minutes" at Villa if needed.

Ibrahima Konate

Injury: Muscle
Expected return date: May 15 (vs. Aston Villa)

Konate was substituted against Chelsea with bad cramp, but he returned to training this week and should be available to start at Villa Park.

Alisson

Injury: Hamstring
Expected return date: May 17 (vs. Aston Villa)

After missing the Brighton defeat prior to the international break, Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper has been forced to endure a weeks-long spell on the sidelines. Slot hopes he could be available to face Villa, depending on how he is in training.

Florian Wirtz

Injury: Illness
Expected return date: May 17 (vs. Aston Villa)

Wirtz has been suffering from a stomach infection and has been on a course of antibiotics. Like Alisson, he could be involved against Villa if he is able to come through training largely unscathed.

Hugo Ekitike

Injury: Achilles tendon
Expected return date: Late 2026

Ekitike slipped and landed awkwardly during the loss to PSG, which caused him to rupture his Achilles tendon. He must undergo surgery on the injury and will miss the remainder of this season and the 2026 World Cup.

Wataru Endo

Injury: Broken foot
Expected return date: May 2026

Endo required oxygen on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher in the Sunderland game. Slot later said the Japan captain had a serious-looking injury to his left foot or ankle, which is likely to rule him out for "a long, long time."

The player later confirmed ankle ligament damage that required surgery, and it seemed his season could be over, but Slot stated on April 24 that Endo could yet return to action in the final matches as he attempts to rebuild fitness for the World Cup.

Conor Bradley

Injury: Knee
Expected return date: August 2026

Bradley hurt himself when clearing the ball into touch in the closing stages of the 0-0 draw at Arsenal in January. He was taken off on a stretcher in some distress, and the club later confirmed he requires surgery on what was described as a "significant" knee injury. The Northern Ireland international will not return until next season after sustaining bone and ligament damage.

Giovanni Leoni

Injury: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
Expected return date: August 2026

Summer signing Leoni suffered a nightmare debut as he horrifically tore an ACL against Southampton in the Carabao Cup back in September. The Italian defender underwent immediate surgery and is not due back until at least August 2026.

Stefan Bajcetic

Injury: Hamstring
Expected return date: May 2026

Bajcetic has not played this season due to injury and needed hamstring surgery back in January. It is hoped he will return in 2025/26, but Slot has stated that "as much as I'd like to have him back, we have to manage the expectations with him as well."