Liverpool‘s back-up goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was forced off on a stretcher with a concerning injury during the first Merseyside Derby at Everton‘s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday – and later taken to hospital.
The Georgian, 25, has started between the sticks for Liverpool since No 1 goalkeeper Alisson Becker suffered a hamstring injury last month.
But Mamardashvili now looks set for a period on the sidelines himself after being taken off on a stretcher by Liverpool’s medical staff following Beto’s equaliser in the second half, in a dramatic game the Reds went on to win 2-1.
The Toffees striker cancelled out Mohamed Salah‘s opening goal with a sliding tap-in from close range in the 54th minute but collided with Mamardashvili as he and Andy Robertson both followed through.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot later said the Georgian had gone to hospital with a ‘big wound’ following the collision.
Mamardashvili’s injury meant that third-choice Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman was called upon to play the rest of the game.
Woodman, who has played for the likes of Newcastle and Bournemouth in the Premier League, joined Liverpool from Preston North End last summer and has only played once since his arrival – in the Reds’ 3-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in October.
Slot hailed his new stand-in goalkeeper, who completed a fine weekend for his family after dad Andy Woodman led Bromley to League One with promotion on Saturday.
‘Freddie deserves a lot of credit because if you have to come in after conceding the 1-1 and the fans were ready for it but he did his job really well,’ said Slot.
‘He kept his calm in a difficult moment when he was doubting whether to catch the ball, yes or no, but kept his nerves.
‘He’s worked so hard to have this moment and usually third goalkeepers don’t play a lot but in a season like ours, I think if you are playing in the Under 8s at Liverpool, you should be ready for making your debut because it is unbelievable what is happening to us (with lots of injuries)!’
Liverpool’s back-up goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili went off on a stretcher against Everton
Freddie Woodman replaced him, making his first Premier League appearance for Liverpool
Hugo Ekitike has been ruled out for the remainder of the season and the World Cup with an Achilles injury, while Alisson, Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo, Jayden Danns and Conor Bradley are also on the sidelines.
Later in the match, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite was also taken off on a stretcher in tears, having appeared to have suffered a hamstring injury.
Toffees boss David Moyes said: ‘It doesn’t look great, it caused problems because we had already made a couple of subs so we were down to our last one.
‘Jarrad was head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch, I thought he played so well.’
Virgil van Dijk’s last-gasp header handed Liverpool the 2-1 win, propelling them seven points clear of Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification.
Moyes rued his side’s wastefulness and was disappointed to not take at least a point.
He said: ‘There’s no shame in how we performed today, we’re playing against one of the teams in the league who expect to be challenging for Champions League and trophies.
‘I think we gave them a good run for their money. I want this team to always be competitive. They didn’t have it their own way.’
