Bradley Barcola Liverpool - General
Bradley Barcola Liverpool - General
The latest injury news from Liverpool stats Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz have missed Thursday’s group session. Both are now a worry for Sunday’s Premier League game at home to Brighton.
Bradley Barcola works alone at the AXA Training Centre
As reported by BBC, Bradley Barcola did not join the main group at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday. He worked alone on a recovery programme instead. The forward replaced Rio Ngumoha in the 74th minute of Tuesday’s 4-3 Champions League win over Villarreal. That was a short appearance, so the change in his routine has caught attention. No details of a specific problem have been given so far.
Barcola has been in strong form this season. He scored a hat-trick in the 6-3 win at LASK last week. The treble came at a key moment. Liverpool had lost 3-0 to Manchester City in the Premier League just days earlier. Ronald Araujo and Lewis Koumas also scored, so goals are coming from across the squad. His pace and direct running give the Reds a real threat in attack.
Bradley Barcola also won the Champions League with PSG in each of the last two seasons. That big-game experience will help him handle a heavy run of fixtures. Liverpool will want him fit for Brighton, as Hugo Ekitike is out for months with a serious Achilles injury. Fewer attacking options would be a worry in such a busy week.
Barcola’s stats so far at Liverpool this season, as per FOTMOB:
Competitions Matches Minutes Played Shots Taken Shots On Target
Premier League 5 348 7 1
Champions League 3 149 8 6
EFL Cup 1 18 – –
Knee problem leaves Munoz in doubt for Sunday
Victor Munoz was also missing from the session on Thursday. A knee problem is the reason, and he is now in some doubt for the visit of Brighton. He also missed the Villarreal game on Tuesday. That suggests the problem has not settled yet. Liverpool played three games in seven days from 14 to 20 October. Heavy match loads also raise the risk of muscle strain across the squad. Medical staff usually take extra care with knee issues, because a quick return can bring a setback.
Andoni Iraola is due to speak to the media at 13:30 BST on Friday. His comments should make the picture clearer for both players. Until then, neither should be ruled out. Training on Saturday should be a useful guide. A full session with the group would raise hopes of a place in the squad.
Victor Muniz Liverpool - Wallpaper
Victor Muniz Liverpool - Wallpaper
Busy schedule tests Liverpool squad depth
Brighton will be Liverpool’s fourth game in 15 days since players returned from international duty. Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Dominik Szoboszlai are also sidelined. Two more absences would cut deeper into a squad that is already stretched.
Liverpool have won their last three games in all competitions, beating LASK, Brentford and Villarreal. The run has cost them defensively, as they have conceded seven goals in those games. Iraola warned after the LASK win that Liverpool would need more than a starting eleven. With injuries and tired legs now a factor, he may need to rotate his side.
Few football clubs can cope with this load, so younger players may get a chance. Brighton are third on 16 points, while Liverpool are fifth on 12 after seven games. Brighton have won five of those games, and Liverpool have three wins, three draws and one defeat. A win on Sunday would cut the four-point gap to one.