Liverpool faces Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, with Andoni Iraola facing some difficult selection decisions as injuries to key players force a potential attacking reshuffle
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Andoni Iraola, Manager of Liverpool, looks on before the Premier League 2026/27 match between AFC Bournemouth and Liverpool FC at Vitality Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool is finally back in Premier League action this weekend following an extended international break spanning three weeks.
The Reds rounded things off last month with a narrow victory over Bournemouth, and now they prepare to take on current league leader Manchester City. This clash will no doubt be overshadowed by controversy in light of recent developments regarding the Manchester club's 115 charges, but the focus for Andoni Iraola and his players will be on recording a crucial win over a rival.
Liverpool failed to beat City last season, albeit with Arne Slot in charge, so the Reds will be determined to right those wrongs at Anfield on Sunday. It is not yet known how Enzo Maresca's squad will respond to the uncertainty currently surrounding the club, but Liverpool and Anfield must be ready to capitalize on any weakness shown by the opponent.
Unfortunately for Iraola, he does have some injury concerns to manage this weekend. None of those, however, is in the goalkeeping department, as Alisson was not included in the Brazil squad for the international break and instead got some much-needed rest.
In defense, the Reds are boosted by the availability of Jeremy Jacquet, who was a doubt after he missed France's final Nations League match this week. According to Iraola, it appears to have simply been load management for the 21-year-old, who has been a standout performer for Liverpool this term.
Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez, and Ronald Araujo appear to have come through their international games unscathed, and Araujo and Kerkez, in particular, did not play a single minute of their final games this week. Jeremie Frimpong also had limited minutes for the Netherlands.
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In midfield, the one question mark will surround Alexis Mac Allister 's readiness to start, given he featured for Argentina in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are also fit, having come through their international games without any issues.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Andoni Iraola, Manager of Liverpool, speaks to Bradley Barcola during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Fulham at Anfield on September 12, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
Iraola has hinted that Bradley Barcola could play up front for Liverpool against Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)
In the forward line, however, is where Iraola faces the biggest question marks. The Liverpool boss will be without his most prolific attackers this season in Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, who both sustained injuries while away on international duty.
That leaves him without a senior recognized striker, so it remains to be seen whether he prefers to move someone out of position to accommodate Isak's absence or trust a youngster in Lewis Koumas to start such a significant fixture. The injuries will also no doubt mean increased opportunities for Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz, and Rio Ngumoha.
Koumas has impressed in every cameo he's made for Liverpool this season, while he also had positive outings for Wales in recent weeks. However, the absence of Gakpo and Isak means the Reds will be severely lacking in clinical goal scorers, so it's the perfect time for big-money signing Barcola to finally make his mark at Anfield.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Munoz; Barcola.