Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid: Match Verdict
The latest Liverpool team news and injury updates ahead of their Premier League match against Manchester City.
Liverpool will hope their recent return to form continues when they face a tough test of their Premier League title credentials at the Etihad on Sunday – but Arne Slot will have several injuries to worry about before a massive match against Manchester City.
Record signing Alexander Isak faces a fitness battle to be involved for the first time in two and a half weeks while there is a fresh doubt over the fitness of Andrew Robertson as well. The pair are among five players who are out or doubtful heading into the weekend.
We’ve got all of the latest Liverpool team news and injury updates below ahead of the game against Pep Guardiola’s City, as well as our prediction for Slot’s starting line-up on Sunday.
Will Alexander Isak be fit to face Manchester City?
Isak has been troubled by a groin injury in recent weeks and has missed the last four matches as a result – but he could be back in the hunt for his first Premier League goal for Liverpool when they make the trip to Manchester on Sunday.
Slot has confirmed that Isak will return to full training on Friday and that he will be assessed ahead of Sunday’s game, telling reporters that “It's time for us to see where he is at… if you are three weeks in rehab, that doesn't bring you back to the levels you were three weeks ago” adding that supporters and pundits should “give him some time.”
There was further confirmation that Isak is close to full fitness to be found in his call-up to the Sweden squad ahead of the November international break. New national coach Graham Potter told the press that he knew Isak was “available” but that he also did not expect him to be “ready to play 90 minutes in two games in four days.”
As such, Isak is expected to have a limited role in Sweden’s upcoming matches against Switzerland and Slovenia and seems unlikely to play the full match against Manchester City if he is passed fit.
Andrew Robertson among doubts for Liverpool
There is also a fresh doubt over the fitness of left-back Robertson, who has started the last three matches for Slot – the Dutch manager told the press that Robertson was “tired” towards the end of the midweek win over Real Madrid and that Liverpool would “wait and see how the recovery goes.” He is involved in Friday’s training session and is viewed only as a minor doubt, but could be benched in favour of Milos Kerkez if he is not at full strength by Sunday.
Liverpool will still be without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who is expected to return from a hamstring injury after the international break, and wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, who islikely to mount a comeback from his own hamstring problem in early December. Young defender Giovanni Leoni, meanwhile, is likely to miss the entirety of his first season with the club after reputing his ACL in September.
Liverpool predicted starting line-up vs. Manchester City: Mamardashvili; Kerkez, Van Dijk, Konaté, Bradley; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Salah, Ekitiké.
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