REUTERS/Phil Noble
Liverpool will return to Premier League action on Sunday when they welcome Man City to Anfield, looking to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign.
The Reds are yet to lose under Andoni Iraola in all competitions, having won two and drawn three of their five top-flight games so far, while they defeated Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Spurs in the EFL Cup.
City will head to Liverpool for their first game since being found guilty of 114 financial breaches, which has seen their historic honours and current season thrown into jeopardy, subject to an appeal process which is currently ongoing.
Liverpool have been dealing with a number of fitness issues throughout the season so far, with Iraola being forced to navigate games with a relatively slim squad, and they were dealt a major blow during the international break when Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo were forced to withdraw from their squads due to injury.
Now, ahead of the game on Sunday, Iraola has dropped a worrying update on the attacking duo's fitness.
The Reds are already without striker Hugo Ekitike due to the achilles injury he suffered last season, while Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are also long-term absentees with knee issues.
Federico Chiesa is yet to feature this season due to a back problem but could return, while the club are still waiting to assess defender Jeremy Jacquet following his hamstring injury while playing for France.
Lewis Koumas Could Get Liverpool Opportunity
REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
With Gakpo and Isak potentially missing the game, and Chiesa's fitness up in the air, Iraola may be forced to field a very young, and inexperienced attack against the side currently sitting top of the table.
Victor Munoz arrived in the summer and has made the right-wing his own so far this season, while on the left Rio Ngumoha has got plenty of quality and has shown that he is more than capable of playing from the start in big games, despite his tender age.
Up front, there is a real lack of options, and it may mean that youngster Lewis Koumas is handed a rare opportunity from the start. The Wales international started in the EFL Cup clash against Spurs and impressed, and this could be a chance to prove that he can have a career at Anfield.