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Liverpool’s Hungarian midfielder #08 Dominik Szoboszlai (C) reacts 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. /
Despite the positives to take from Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday, one big negative was the sight of Dominik Szoboszlai trudging off injured after only half an hour.
The Hungarian had not been expected to start having missed the previous two fixtures with a hamstring issue, and Andoni Iraola was ultimately made to regret his decision to throw him back in at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Szoboszlai could miss the next two weeks and more, with serious doubt over whether he plays again before the international break, which begins for Liverpool on November 9th. With six matches to play before then, Iraola is going to have to chop and change, leaning on five players to get the Reds through this period.
Dominik Szoboszlai is injured 🚨 How do Liverpool replace him?!
This puts a lot of pressure on Mac Allister, but the good news is that Gravenberch has been looking much better. Rotating will be key until the intl break, but Nyoni is also more than good enough to come in as we've seen. Would expect James McConnell to get a couple of appearances here and there as well
Hopefully it’s not a long layoff. In the meantime, I’m happy to have Nyoni or Grav in this place. Ultimately, we need a proper DM in the middle, and that won’t happen until next summer now
Liverpool vs Villarreal – Anfield, October 20th
Liverpool’s first match of the six comes in the Champions League, against Villarreal this Tuesday. Iraola has a one fairly easy choice to make here, with Ryan Gravenberch fully rested after suspension ruled him out of Saturday’s win.
The Dutchman will surely return for this midweek game, as he looks to build on some better form following the September/October international break.
With the Spanish team not in brilliant form at the start of the season, Iraola may take this chance to hand another rest to Alexis Mac Allister, who will be needed for Sunday’s visit of Brighton. Having seen a start taken off him at Brentford, Trey Nyoni should start instead. Mac Allister on for Gravenberch at some stage would help to keep everybody fresh. Florian Wirtz should be given a rest at No. 10, with James McConnell a possibility to play instead,
Liverpool vs Brighton – Anfield, October 25th
Liverpool then have a fairly luxurious five-day break before in-form Brighton come to Anfield on Sunday. The Seagulls will play away in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, which should hand the Reds a slight advantage, despite their visitors impressive form.
Brighton are currently the second best team in the Premier League, though, meaning Iraola needs to have his best options on the pitch for the entirety of the match. That has to mean Mac Allister and Gravenberch start – and ideally finish – the game together, with Wirtz reinstalled.
Liverpool vs Chelsea – Anfield, October 28th
The Reds’ clash with Chelsea three days after the Brighton game is a bit of a tricky one in that the Blues are a difficult side to face and, without European football this season, will surely go strong for this one. However, the Carabao Cup is just not a priority for Liverpool and that will likely reflect in Iraola’s team, as he takes the chance to hand out some rests. The Reds also have Arsenal coming to Anfield in another four days, and should take that into account.
It might be too much of an ask for Nyoni and McConnell to play at the base of the midfield together, but it is possible that Iraola hands the two youngsters the keys. They both played and did well against Tottenham earlier in the competition, and though McConnell played in a more advanced role that day, he is more natural as a sitting midfielder.
There is a question mark over who plays as a No. 10 in this scenario, but if Iraola wanted to rest all of Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Wirtz to keep them fresh for Arsenal, he could even finally call upon Wataru Endo to play next to Nyoni, with McConnell slightly further ahead. If needed, the big guns can always hop off the bench to help out.
Liverpool vs Arsenal – Anfield, November 1st
Liverpool’s opening fixture of November will be a big test to see where they currently are, with champions Arsenal always a difficult proposition.
If possible, Iraola has to field his strongest set of options here, and having all had a rest in midweek, playing Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Wirtz is the easiest choice of this mini run of matches.
Fenerbahce vs Liverpool – Chobani Stadium, November 4th
Liverpool may not have travelled away from home for almost three weeks, but when they finally do in early November it is a real humdinger as the Reds face Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
The hope will be that they have recorded a third Champions League win out of three by the time this fixture comes around, allowing Iraola to experiment a little with his squad.
Nyoni is fairly certain to play, but depending on the result of the Villarreal match, McConnell could play as well, while this may be a good match for Wirtz to get some rhythm back again.
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool – Selhurst Park, November 8th
Despite the glut of fixtures, it should be possible for Iraola to get his best available midfield on the pitch together for all three of Liverpool’s Premier League matches, including the trip to Selhurst Park the Sunday following the Fenerbahce game.
Having had a rest in midweek, that will mean Gravenberch and Mac Allister returning in South London, with Wirtz ahead of them once again.
It remains to be seen whether Szoboszlai is back at this point, and indeed what the decision will be regarding his participation with Hungary in the November international break. But there is a way for the Reds to cope without him. What is clear, however, is that if Liverpool suffer injury to Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Nyoni, McConnell or even Endo in the next three weeks, things will start to become much more difficult.