Liverpool could be without two of their biggest attacking threats for Sunday’s massive Premier League meeting with Manchester City, with Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo both still nursing injuries picked up on international duty.
The timing could hardly be worse for Andoni Iraola. City arrive at Anfield having won all five of their league games, while Liverpool are trying to become the first side to take points off them this season.
With Hugo Ekitike already sidelined long term, losing both Isak and Gakpo would leave the Reds seriously stretched in attack.
Iraola confirms Isak and Gakpo are both still injured
Speaking ahead of the City game, as reported by Manchester Evening News, Iraola confirmed that neither forward is currently fit.
“I think Alex Isak and Cody Gakpo both have had to leave the national teams with injuries,” he said.
“Now it’s a matter of if they are going to recover in time to help us in the next game or not. But right now they are both injured.”
Isak picked up a thigh problem after scoring for Sweden in their 2-1 Nations League win over Romania on September 25, while Gakpo suffered an ankle injury during the Netherlands’ victory over Serbia two days later.
Both players returned to Liverpool for further assessment and now face a race against time to make Sunday’s squad.
Liverpool may have to find another way against City
This is where the situation becomes especially awkward for Iraola.
Isak gives Liverpool a natural focal point through the middle, while Gakpo offers a different kind of threat from wide areas. Losing both would remove two very different attacking options against arguably the most dangerous team in the league.
The good news is that Isak’s injury has been described as relatively minor, while the full extent of Gakpo’s ankle problem is still being assessed.
Liverpool are waiting for further clarity before making a final call on either player.
Even so, Iraola may need a Plan B. City’s attack has been flying, and Liverpool cannot afford to go into this game short of firepower.
If Isak and Gakpo miss out, the pressure on the remaining forwards will rise immediately.
Sunday already felt like Liverpool’s biggest test of the season. These injuries have only made it tougher.
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More worrying is the hamstring tightness felt by Jaquet in his last match for France. We will need our top notch defence. Against the cheaters.