LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's players form a pre-match huddle before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 16, 2026: Liverpool's players form a pre-match huddle before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Como 1907 at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Andoni Iraola has five senior players out injured, but he does have one new addition, Bradley Barcola, who should play a part against Ipswich.
Liverpool head into their third game of the season still searching for their first win after successive 2-2 draws.
The Reds have never drawn the first three league matches of a season, a fact they will hope remains true come full time at Portman Road.
Here were Iraola’s squad updates ahead of Liverpool vs. Ipswich:
Bradley Barcola – Available “if everything goes well” in Thursday’s training session
Joe Gomez (muscle) – Unavailable but “will probably start training with us next week”
Giovanni Leoni (ACL) – Unavailable but “the plan is to start training” in the late-September international break
Federico Chiesa (back) – Unavailable and will be a similar date to Leoni
Conor Bradley (knee) – Unavailable
Hugo Ekitike (Achilles) – Unavailable
The big question on every fan’s lips is whether we will see Barcola make his debut for Liverpool.
Well the answer is probably yes, but it may be from the bench given he has not played in a game since July 18.
Iraola said: “I see him in a good place. He has trained with us in three trainings.
“It’s true that he hasn’t had minutes in pre-season but he has been training normal with the group. Then it’s a decision we have to make.
“I think he’s in a good place but we also have to consider that he hasn’t had the minutes in the pre-season games.”
Liverpool injury updates
CHICAGO, USA - Wednesday, July 22, 2026: Liverpool's Joe Gomez departs the team hotel for an afternoon training session in Chicago ahead of the start of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Wednesday, July 22, 2026: Liverpool's Joe Gomez departs the team hotel for an afternoon training session in Chicago ahead of the start of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Gomez won’t be able to feature at Portman Road and is still working his way back to full fitness.
“Joe will probably start training with us next week,” Iraola noted as he explained that he hopes the defender will be back before the three-week international break, which begins on September 21.
Leoni and Chiesa will be next to return, with Liverpool hoping they can come back together during the break.
Ekitike and Bradley still have a long time left in their recovery; we shouldn’t expect to see either in 2026.
Meanwhile, Jayden Danns could be an option further down the line, but for now he is still building his match fitness with the under-21s.
READ MORE
Liverpool Predicted XI vs. Ipswich: Andoni Iraola’s big Szoboszlai call
Liverpool’s available squad vs. Ipswich
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman
Defenders: Van Dijk, Jacquet, Araujo, Kerkez, Frimpong, Tsimikas, Chambers
Midfielders: Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Nyoni, Endo, McConnell
Forwards: Isak, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ngumoha, Munoz, Barcola, Koumas
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Nottingham Forest FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola on the bench before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
ips-pre
ROUNDUP COLLAGE(64)
ROUNDUP COLLAGE(64)