Liverpool have been thrown into a goalkeeping crisis after Giorgi Mamardashvili was stretchered off in agony after conceding an equaliser against Everton in the Merseyside Derby
Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was stretchered off in agony after conceding an equaliser against Everton.
The 25-year-old has been deputising for Alisson with the Brazilian out injured but Arne Slot’s keeping concerns have become a crisis after the Georgian had to be withdrawn during Sunday’s Merseyside Derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Liverpool had taken the lead in the first-half through Mohamed Salah but Everton forced a well-deserved equaliser in the 54th minute when Beto slid in to turn home Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s cross. The Toffees thought they had opened the scoring through Iliman Ndiaye just minutes before Salah’s opener, but VAR disallowed the goal for an offside in the build up.
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However, in doing so, the Portuguese striker followed through and seemingly caught Mamardashvili on the knee.
The Georgian remained on the turf in discomfort before Liverpool’s medics tended to him. After undergoing treatment for a couple of minutes, the stretcher was called and Mamardashvili was taken from the field in serious pain.
His withdrawal meant third-choice keeper Freddie Woodman entered the fray for his first Premier League game for Liverpool at the home of their city rivals.
The 29-year-old joined Liverpool in the summer on a free transfer from Preston North End. He made his Reds debut in a 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace back in October – his only previous Reds appearance.
Mamardashvili joins Alisson in the injury room, which is also stacked full of talent with Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo all out with long-term injuries.
Hugo Ekitike is also a major blow after he suffered an Achilles tendon rupture and will miss the rest of the calendar year.
However, Liverpool were left celebrating at full-time as Virgil van Dijk headed in the winner in the 101st minute. 11 minutes of added time were signalled after Jarrad Branthwaite was also stretchered off in tears with a hamstring injury.