Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai did not worsen his lingering hamstring injury during Saturday's 2-1 win over Brentford, but the club will need to be patient with his recovery, manager Andoni Iraola has confirmed.
Szoboszlai was forced off after just 32 minutes at the Brentford Community Stadium, having been named in the starting XI for the first time since the international break. The midfielder had missed the previous two matches against Manchester City and LASK Linz after sustaining the problem while on duty with Hungary in the Nations League.
Iraola Confirms No New Injury
Speaking at a press conference on Monday previewing Liverpool's Champions League clash with Villarreal, Iraola said the issue was a recurrence of the same injury rather than a fresh problem. "It is not a new injury. I think it was in the same place it was probably the past week," the Spaniard said.
"He hasn't worsened the injury but probably we have to be a little bit more patient until he recovers fully. But it's not like he now has to wait a lot more time to come back - it's more or less the same situation he was in last week. We need more patience with him."
Praise for Szoboszlai's Effort
Iraola praised Szoboszlai for pushing to play in the physically demanding fixture against Brentford, describing the effort as speaking well of the player's character. "I appreciate the effort he did the other day to be available, to want to contribute in a very difficult game - you know it is going to be very physical, one of the most physical teams in Brentford," he said.
"To put himself in front and want to play, speaks very well about him."
Frimpong Faces Difficult Recovery
Liverpool right-back Jeremie Frimpong was also substituted off against Brentford, just six minutes after coming on at half-time for Ronald Araujo. Iraola said the Dutchman's situation was different, describing it as a muscle injury that occurred early in his appearance.
"I think they are different circumstances," Iraola said. "Jeremie Frimpong is a muscle injury, and it happened in the second, third minute he was playing - difficult to predict. We will have to wait until he recovers, but it is going to be difficult I think before the [next international] break. We will try, but it is going to be difficult to have him."
