Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed the latest injury news ahead of this weekend's game with Fulham, with updates offered on Cody Gakpo and Bradley Barcola
Andoni Iraola during a Liverpool press conference.
Andoni Iraola during a Liverpool press conference. (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola says Cody Gakpo will "try" to train later on Friday, with a decision still to be made on whether he will feature against Fulham this weekend, while Bradley Barcola only had cramp midweek and will be available.
Center-back Joe Gomez, meanwhile, who is yet to feature this season, returned to training earlier this week, and Federico Chiesa and Giovanni Leoni should be back during the September international break that comes after next weekend's trip to Bournemouth.
Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike, however, are still some way off a return. They are long-term absentees and could still be months away from a comeback.
On Barcola, Iraola outlined where things were up to with the $166 million (£123 million) man earlier this week after his arrival from PSG.
"With Bradley, it's about building his physical condition," Iraola said. "We don't really know — or we didn't know until now, probably — how much he can play because he hasn't had any minutes in pre-season for PSG.
"He played 30 the other day [and] today we had some question marks, how many minutes he can give us and probably now we know.
"I'm very happy because also he has had two very clear chances against the 'keeper. He hasn't scored, but I want him there.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside via Getty Images)
"There is where he has to make the difference, arriving to those spots, those positions, and I'm very happy because in — I don't know how many minutes he's played — two times against the 'keeper is a good sign."
In addition to Barcola, Milos Kerkez also went off with cramp against Atletico Madrid.
"I think I always want to do subs because of this, because you've given everything, you don't have any more, perfect," Iraola added.
"We do the subs, not because you haven't run and I have to sub you. So, I prefer when you've done everything you can and then we sub you because you cannot run anymore."
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Liverpool has Fulham this weekend, and then hosts Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. It travels to Bournemouth in the final match before the September international break.
On facing former Reds defender Alvaro Arbeloa, who is now the Fulham manager, Iraola added: "We played very few times together in the national team. We were fighting more or less for the (right-back) position but I think he was more successful than me in that case!
"We haven't had too much of a relationship since then, we've had games when we've played against each other. But this is the Premier League — once the game starts you focus on yourself."