Lewis Koumas could be in line for a full Premier League debut when Liverpool face Manchester City on Sunday, as the Reds cope with an injury crisis up front. Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo both withdrew from international duty during the September/October break, leaving head coach Andoni Iraola with limited options at striker.
Injury concerns for Isak and Gakpo
Both forwards returned to the AXA Training Centre for medical assessment. Sweden boss Graham Potter revealed Isak had pulled out with a thigh issue, described as minor. Gakpo suffered an ankle injury and was substituted early in the Netherlands' win over Serbia, with reports in his homeland suggesting he could be sidelined for several weeks.
Iraola confirmed the pair were doubts for the City clash when speaking to beIN Sports. "I think Alex Isak and Cody Gakpo both have had to leave the national teams with injuries," he said. "Now it's a matter of if they are going to recover in time to help us in the next game or not. But right now they are both injured."
Neither forward was spotted in training on Thursday, based on images Liverpool published of the squad reporting back to the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby. Federico Chiesa did take part, having been sidelined since pre-season, but Hugo Ekitike remains a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury.
Koumas' strong impression
Koumas, 21, has made five appearances this season, including Premier League and Champions League debuts, and delivered a man-of-the-match display in his only start, against Tottenham in the League Cup. He also started three times for Wales during the break, against Portugal, Norway, and Denmark.
His Liverpool teammate Calum Scanlon, on loan at Cardiff City, backed Koumas to build on his start. "I know Koumas pretty well," Scanlon told reporters. "I've been through the youth set-ups with him, Under-18s, U21s, and I've had first-team sessions with him and been on pre-season with him, so he's a player that I know very well."
"If you look at his game, how he presses, that relentless [approach], he's always at it. That's always been him, so it comes as no surprise that that's how he's got into the team. The manager loves that. He loves counter-pressing, he loves players that work hard, but he also has the attributes to go forward and to be an effective player. So there's no surprise for me. He's a top player and I'm sure he's going to have a good season."
Potential options for Iraola
Iraola could turn to Florian Wirtz as a false nine, field the German alongside Dominik Szoboszlai as dual number 10s, or use Bradley Barcola or Rio Ngumoha through the middle. Chiesa is another option, though throwing him straight in for a tough test would be bold. Koumas remains a viable choice, especially with nine games in 28 days ahead.
The clash with City is the first of that run, and Koumas is ready to seize any opportunity if Iraola calls on him.
