Liverpool head to Brentford on Saturday with Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo all hoping to prove their fitness for the Premier League clash at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Reds boss Andoni Iraola has been without the key trio since before the extended international break, weakening his preferred starting XI. Szoboszlai missed last weekend's defeat to Manchester City with a hamstring issue picked up on Hungary duty, while Isak (thigh) and Gakpo (ankle) returned early from international duty with Sweden and the Netherlands respectively.
Selection decisions ahead of Brentford trip
None of the three were fit enough to feature in Wednesday's 6-3 Champions League win over LASK Linz. Iraola said in his pre-match press conference that it was too early to tell whether any would return against Brentford, though he confirmed he was keeping the "chance open".
Ryan Gravenberch started against LASK but is suspended for the trip to west London after his sending off for a second yellow card in the City defeat. Alexis Mac Allister was rested in Austria and will be restored to the starting lineup, with 19-year-old Trey Nyoni likely to keep his place in midfield if Szoboszlai remains unavailable.
Attack and defence reshaped
Lewis Koumas has been handed the opportunity to lead the Liverpool attack in the absence of Isak and Gakpo, scoring his first Champions League goal against LASK after two disallowed efforts. He would presumably keep the starting striker role if the injury picture is unchanged, supported from the left by midweek hat-trick hero Bradley Barcola.
Florian Wirtz appears to retain Iraola's faith as the No10 despite criticism from Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, though a Szoboszlai return would give the manager more options. Rio Ngumoha replaced summer signing Victor Munoz on the right flank in Austria, with the two battling for a starting spot on Saturday.
Captain Virgil van Dijk is set to return to the defence against unbeaten Brentford, who sit fourth in the Premier League table. That will see Ronald Araujo shift to the right, with Jeremy Jacquet alongside Van Dijk and Jeremie Frimpong dropping out. Milos Kerkez returns at left-back at the expense of Kostas Tsimikas, with Alisson Becker in goal.
Iraola confirmed on Thursday that Giovanni Leoni will not return to training until the November international break, while Hugo Ekitike and Conor Bradley remain long-term absentees.
Predicted Liverpool XI vs Brentford (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Nyoni; Munoz, Wirtz, Barcola; Koumas
Injured: Ekitike, Bradley, Leoni. Doubts: Szoboszlai, Isak, Gakpo. Suspended: Gravenberch.
Time and date: 3pm BST on Saturday October 17, 2026. Venue: Gtech Community Stadium.
