Liverpool has lots of injury concerns even before the season has started, with Hugo Ekitike out for the long term and Joe Gomez now set for a month or so on the sidelines
Hugo Ekitike and Joe Gomez.
Hugo Ekitike and Joe Gomez.(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool currently has as many as eight players unavailable either through injury or still working their way back from various concerns, with Victor Munoz and Alexis Mac Allister also still on holiday following the World Cup.
Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajcetic are close to a return, but neither has featured in the pre-season games that have taken place to date. The young duo have been out for the long term and are therefore being carefully managed.
Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike, meanwhile, are still set to be out for a period. Bradley is closer to a return but won't be back before the new season starts; Ekitike, L'Equipe said a couple of months ago, is targeting a return around Christmas time.
As Liverpool trained in Chicago on Friday, Joe Gomez was inside in the gym. He has a muscle injury that will sideline him for around a month, meaning he will miss the start of the new season.
Wataru Endo, who missed the World Cup due to the injury that he sustained at Sunderland in February, was back, though it remains to be seen how often he will feature in his final year at Anfield.
As a result of his injury concerns, Jayden Danns missed the chance to head on the pre-season tour of the US. He needs to be fully fit after a frustrating period on the treatment table.
Andoni Iraola during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Sunderland
Andoni Iraola during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Sunderland (Image: (Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images))
Jeremy Jacquet, who is yet to play after arriving for around $83 million (£60 million), is being carefully managed too. He didn't train on Friday, but Andoni Iraola said a few days ago that he could be in contention to face Leeds.
"With Jeremy, we decided to take it easy with him," the Spaniard explained.
"He has been a lot of months without playing with a shoulder injury. So, I think we are going to take it easy with him.
"He will play probably the last game of this US tour and he will have time to have minutes. It's true that we were kind of happy but we've lost one now."
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After the Leeds game, Liverpool has two more friendlies to play. It takes on AS Monaco first and then has a double header with the Italian side Como at Anfield.
Liverpool.com says: The number of injury absences that the Reds have already is further proof of the work that is required in the transfer market.
Right now, Iraola doesn't have enough bodies to work with, and that has to change before September 1. Ideally, it would happen before the opening game of the new season against Newcastle.