Liverpool travel to Brentford today with Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo all back in the squad.
Reds boss Andoni Iraola has not been able to call upon the key trio since before the recent extended international break, significantly weakening his first-choice starting XI.
Injury returns and team news
Szoboszlai was a shock absentee from the squad to face Manchester City last weekend, having returned from Nations League duty with Hungary carrying a hamstring issue.
Forwards Isak (thigh) and Gakpo (ankle), meanwhile, both returned to Merseyside early during the international window after sustaining problems while playing for Sweden and the Netherlands respectively.
Having not featured in the 3-0 defeat by City at Anfield, none were deemed fit enough to travel to Austria for Wednesday night's thumping 6-3 win over LASK Linz in the Champions League.
Szoboszlai starts against Brentford
Szoboszlai posted a matchday graphic to his Instagram Stories on Saturday morning, strongly hinting that he will play at the Gtech Community Stadium. And he does indeed start along with Isak, with Gakpo on the bench.
Ryan Gravenberch started against LASK but will serve a one-match suspension in west London after his controversial sending off for a second yellow card that completely turned the game against City, with Alexis Mac Allister wisely handed a rest.
Mac Allister is restored to the starting lineup against Brentford, partnered by Szoboszlai with teenager Trey Nyoni on the bench.
Koumas makes way as Isak leads the line
The absences of Isak and Gakpo have led to Nyoni's fellow highly-rated youngster Lewis Koumas being offered the opportunity to lead Liverpool's attack of late, and he scored his first Champions League goal against LASK after initially seeing two disallowed for offside.
However Koumas makes way today as Isak starts, supported from the left by Wednesday's hat-trick hero Bradley Barcola.
Florian Wirtz retains Iraola's faith as the No10 for now despite more criticism of his performances from the likes of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.
Fan favourite Rio Ngumoha replaced summer signing Victor Munoz on the right flank in Austria, though that switch is reversed here.
Defensive changes and confirmed lineup
Captain Virgil van Dijk got a rare rest against LASK, but he returns to the defence against unbeaten and in-form Brentford, who currently sit fourth in the Premier League table.
That return sees Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo shift to the right as Van Dijk slots back in alongside Jeremy Jacquet, with the struggling Jeremie Frimpong dropping out.
Milos Kerkez also returns at left-back at the expense of Kostas Tsimikas, who captained Liverpool against LASK, with Alisson Becker a familiar figure in goal.
Iraola confirmed on Thursday that Giovanni Leoni would now not return to training until the November international break, while Hugo Ekitike and Conor Bradley remain long-term absentees but are both progressing well.
Liverpool XI vs Brentford (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Munoz, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Nyoni, Koumas, Ngumoha
Injured: Ekitike, Bradley, Leoni
Suspended: Gravenberch
Time and date: 3pm BST on Saturday October 17, 2026
Venue: Gtech Community Stadium
