BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 17: Andoni Iraola manager / head coach of Liverpool interacts with Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool before being substituted for an injury during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Brentford and Liverpool FC at Gtech Community Stadium on October 17, 2026 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola speaks to Dominik SzoboszlaI after the Liverpool midfielder comes off injured against Brentford (Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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Liverpool made it back-to-back wins on Saturday as they battled back from behind to become the first team to beat Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium since February. But the 2-1 victory could have come at a cost for the injury-hit Reds.
That's because they saw Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong both limp off with issues that certainly look set to rule them out of Tuesday's Champions League clash against Villarreal at Anfield (8pm kick-off).
And while Ryan Gravenberch will be available after sitting out the Premier League success at Brentford through a one-match suspension, Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola will still have other key first-team players unavailable as his side's hectic schedule continues.
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So ahead of the visit of Villarreal, we take a look at the injury latest...
Dominik Szoboszlai
Iraola played down the seriousness of Szoboszlai's hamstring injury after the 3-0 loss to Manchester City that preceded the wins over LASK and Brentford. And that proved well founded with the midfielder returning at the weekend.
But after being restored to the starting line-up, the Hungary captain lasted just 32 minutes before being forced to come off.
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And Iraola said: "Dom felt the same injury, so that injury probably isn’t healed enough so we will need more time with him."
Potential return date: Unknown
Jeremie Frimpong
Iraola then went on to say that Szoboszlai and Frimpong will be out for "some time". But whereas the former's problem is an old one, the latter has sustained a new injury.
It leaves Frimpong, who has been beset by issues since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, facing a new spell on the sidelines.
Iraola, who is now without a senior fit and available right-back, said: “Jeremie was new. He finished the game cramping the other day. I put him in because playing against 10 I thought he would give us more going forward than Ronald (Araujo).
“After that, Victor (Munoz) was very good playing as a right-back. But it will mean we will lose Dom and Jeremie for some time.”
Potential return date: Unknown
Liverpool's Dutch defender #30 Jeremie Frimpong leaves the game after picking up an injury during the English Premier League football match between Brentford and Liverpool at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on October 17, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Jeremie Frimpong comes off injured not long after coming on for Liverpool in their 2-1 win at Brentford (Image: Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images)
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Giovanni Leoni
Leoni's planned return after more than a year on the sidelines has been delayed - with the injury suffered by the defender more complicated than was initially reported.
The centre-back, a £26million arrival from Parma last summer, has been absent since sustaining serious ACL damage when making his debut in the Carabao Cup win at home to Southampton in September 2025.
Leoni had been expected to have resumed full training with the first-team squad during the recent international break.
But with Liverpool refusing to rush his recovery, the Italian is now not anticipated to be back on the pitch with the main group until next month.
"It is taking more time than we wanted," said Iraola. "With Gio, the plan was to train with the team in this past international break. It is probably now going to be the next international break, so we have lost one month in the process."
"Giovanni's injury, I wasn't here but talking to the medical department it wasn't just an ACL. It was a bad injury, a lot of things around the knee were involved apart from the ACL.
"I think he has to be very confident in the rehab and the process has to be very careful with him. We want to make sure once he comes to the team he stays there in a good place. It's true we've had a little bit of not a setback but a delay, if you want."
Potential return date: Porto (H), Wednesday, December 9
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 2: Liverpool FC Head Coach Andoni Iraola concentrates after the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field on August 2, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola, pictured on the club's tour of the US(Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Hugo Ekitike
The second of Liverpool's three long-term injury victims, Ekitike has not played since rupturing his Achilles tendon against his former club Paris Saint-Germain in April.
But according to L'Equipe, the hard work the striker is putting in behind the scenes could see him return to training next month.
And it is believed that Ekitike's long-term target has been to get back into action by Boxing Day, which given the serious nature of the injury he sustained, would be remarkably swift comeback.
The Frenchman was at the club's training base on Thursday undertaking some skipping exercises in the gym and Iraola said: "He is still doing very well according to the plan."
Potential return date: Hull City (A), Saturday, December 26
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 2: Hugo Ekitike #22 of Liverpool FC waves to the fans after the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field on August 2, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Hugo Ekitike is reportedly eyeing up a return to training with Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
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Conor Bradley
Iraola also confirmed that Bradley is further ahead than Ekitike and is closing in on a return to light training.
The right-back suffered an ACL injury back in January at Arsenal and his Northern Ireland manager, Michael O'Neill, also said last month that he didn't expect Bradley to be available for November's international matches.
And Iraola said: "Conor is not so far from training with the group – not like full training but doing some things with the group."