Liverpool was handed another injury blow when Dominik Szoboszlai was ruled out against Manchester City, and the midfielder looks to be a major doubt for the Reds' next game as well
Dominik Szoboszlai missed Liverpool's game against Manchester City
Dominik Szoboszlai missed Liverpool's game against Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester City on Sunday was not the result the Reds or much of the Premier League wanted, given the circumstances surrounding their opponents.
And it’s not just the 3-0 loss that will be hurting Andoni Iraola and his side right now. Ryan Gravenberch’s controversial sending-off means the Liverpool boss is without another of his midfielders, having been deprived of one of his biggest names before a ball had even been kicked.
With the Reds facing a quick turnaround as they head to Austria to face LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday, the chances of Iraola getting any of his big hitters back in time are looking slim.
Here is the latest on the injury front for Liverpool following Sunday’s defeat to City…
Dominik Szoboszlai
Dominik Szoboszlai's absence came as an immediate blow before a ball had even been kicked against City. Having played nearly every minute for Hungary during the international break, Liverpool now has to deal with the repercussions, with Iraola revealing the midfielder had been struggling with a hamstring problem in training.
And the outlook doesn't look too promising for Szoboszlai, with Iraola going on to admit he might not have any of his injured players returning for the Reds' next game on Wednesday. "Dom came from the national team with tightness, an overload," Iraola explained. "We put him as a floater in the training and tried to protect him, but he was feeling something very small. It's true that now we play four games in 10 days, so it's going to be difficult because we fly to Austria in two days. I think it's going to be difficult to recover any of the players."
Possible return date: October 17 vs Brentford
Alexander Isak
Given Iraola's update after Sunday's game, it seems unlikely that Alexander Isak will be available for Wednesday's Champions League encounter either. The striker watched the City game from the sidelines, having returned from the international break after just one game for Sweden with what was described as a "minor" thigh injury. Liverpool will hope that is the case, but for the time being, it looks as though Isak will not be making an immediate return.
Possible return date: October 17 vs Brentford
Cody Gakpo
Cody Gakpo's absence against City was no surprise, with the forward having picked up an ankle injury after a nasty-looking challenge while on duty for the Netherlands.
Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak both missed the defeat to Manchester City
Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak both missed the defeat to Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)
Initial reports suggested he would face a few weeks out, and Iraola has not added anything more definitive to that, so it's probably safe to assume that Gakpo will be missing for at least the next few games. Anything beyond that remains a bit of a mystery.
Possible return date: Unknown
Giovanni Leoni
In slightly more encouraging news, Giovanni Leoni could make his return to training very soon. Reports have suggested that he has been targeted to rejoin his teammates this week after more than a year out with an ACL injury. What that means in terms of a return to competitive action isn't yet clear, with Leoni likely to get some minutes for the club's U21s as he builds his fitness back up. The Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea later this month might be seen as an opportunity to get some first-team minutes into his legs, although Liverpool will not want to rush the 19-year-old back, which might mean he has to wait a bit longer for his second appearance for the club.
Possible return date: November
Conor Bradley
Conor Bradley's return will have to wait a little longer than Leoni's, although the right-back is hopefully not too far away from making a comeback. Having been out since suffering a serious knee injury against Arsenal in January, there were initial suggestions that Bradley could have played in the World Cup had Northern Ireland qualified, although those claims look to have been wide of the mark. It looks as though the earliest he will be able to join back in with training will be next month, with a return to first-team action hopefully not long after that, but Liverpool will have to exercise caution given his injury record.
Possible return date: November/December
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Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike is seemingly on track to make his return to action before the end of the year. Previous reports have indicated that the striker is targeting the Christmas period to make his comeback, with more encouragement coming during the international break. The Boxing Day trip to Hull may therefore present his first opportunity to return to the side, with reports from France claiming he could be back in training as early as next month, which will be quite the turnaround given the fears that rose after he ruptured his Achilles.
Possible return date: December