A look at how Liverpool could line-up when Manchester City visit at Anfield on Sunday, October 11 for a huge Premier League encounter
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 9: Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid at Anfield on September 9, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola is sweating on the fitness of Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo ahead of Liverpool's huge Premier League showdown with Man City at Anfield (Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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It's less than a week now until Liverpool return to Premier League action - with the visit of Manchester City on October 11 likely to be played out in front of a red-hot Anfield atmosphere. City, of course, will be playing their first fixture since being found guilty on 114 charges relating to Premier League financial rules, where they artificially inflated their commercial income to the tune of £830m over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.
As a result of that Liverpool were denied a league title in 2013/14 under Brendan Rodgers and City built their team to the extent that it later bettered the point tallies of Jurgen Klopp's side (97 in 2019 and 92 in 2022, respectively).
So there will be no love lost on the Anfield terraces this coming Sunday afternoon. But just what sort of side can Andoni Iraola field on the day itself to attempt to give the league leaders their first defeat of the new campaign?
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Liverpool will be aiming for a fourth successive Premier League clean sheet when Erling Haaland and company come to Merseyside so there appears to be little need to chop and change the back five if Iraola doesn't have to.
That means Ronald Araujo might start at right-back on the day. Iraola may ordinarily seeking more attacking thrust down that side in home games but the Uruguay defender has been exemplary in the position in recent weeks and will surely be tasked with stopping whoever starts from City's vast array of speedy wingers.
Former Everton man Iliman Ndiaye started on the left side in their most recent victory at home to Sunderland but Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku are also capable of playing there if needed, although the former is an injury doubt. It could be a big day for Araujo then.
The same can be said of new France international Jeremy Jacquet who has impressed since he moved to the Reds in the summer for a £60m fee from Rennes.
All being well, the 21-year-old will partner Virgil van Dijk. The prospect of going toe-to-toe with Haaland in particular has to be embraced by the Les Bleus starlet, who even had the great Zinedine Zidane purring over his performance against Italy last week.
In midfield, it feels like a case of three players vying for two positions in Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and [Ryan Gravenberch](http://Ryan Gravenberch). But does the fitness of Alexander Isak mean all three could play in the engine room on the day?
Isak returned to Merseyside at the start of last week after suffering a thigh injury that was described as minor by Sweden boss Graham Potter and the assessment of the £125m striker is the one Liverpool fans are holding their breath over.
Alexander Isak of Sweden
Alexander Isak has withdrawn from international duty with an injury(Image: Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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Isak has scored four times so far this term and looks like he is in the form of what has been a relatively short Reds career. So the idea of him missing this game would be a huge blow for Iraola.
"He's got a small problem with his thigh," Potter explained. "It's not a big one but because of the amount of games we've got in a small space of time, he won't be able to make those."
Reds head coach Iraola will provide a more up-to-date and accurate assessment when he speaks to the media later this week but if Isak is sidelined then the there is the potential to start Florian Wirtz in a 'false 9' role and allow Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and Mac Allister the chance to make the midfield a more compact area for City to have to play through.
If Isak is passed fit then Iraola will likely choose Szoboszlai to nestle in alongside Mac Allister with Gravenberch waiting in the wings.
Out wide, much will depend of Cody Gakpo's fitness after the Netherlands forward hurt his ankle in the Nations League meeting with Serbia.
Gakpo was caught by Ipswich Town midfielder Sasa Lukic and underwent a scan that ruled him out of the 2-2 draw with Greece that followed on Thursday of last week.
The in-form attacker has been one of the bright spots of the campaign so far so an absence against City would be a major setback for Iraola but the hope is that the injury was an impact one that will have eased considerably by the time City roll into town.
Like the Isak update when Iraola faces the press this week, supporters face an anxious wait.
Bradley Barcola is vying for a start at Anfield having played the final 15 minutes of France's draw with Italy on Friday night.
The £123m winger is still building up his fitness having not featured much during Paris Saint-Germain's pre-season programme as the two clubs thrashed out the terms of the blockbuster transfer.
Rio Ngumoha was an unused substitute for England's 7-0 hammering of Croatia on Saturday night and is also an option for Iraola on that left side.
With Gakpo potentially out injured, there is the potential to name the 18-year-old on the right but Victor Munoz, who featured for Spain in their 3-1 win over Czechia on Saturday, will also factor into the thinking.
It's a relatively settled Liverpool line-up for Iraola but the major updates concern Isak and Gakpo.
However, with the international break still set for one final round of fixtures, Iraola, like every other club manager, will be keeping his fingers crossed this week.
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