Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday (4.30pm kick-off) in the standout Premier League fixture of matchday six, with the Reds carrying injury concerns over three players who returned from international duty with problems.
Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Jeremy Jacquet all picked up issues while away with their countries, joining four first-team players who were already sidelined when the break began. The match carries extra weight after Manchester City were found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules over a nine-season period.
Isak and Gakpo fitness doubts
Isak was Liverpool's match-winner at Bournemouth before the break, scoring his fourth Premier League goal of the season in a 1-0 win, and then opened the scoring in Sweden's 2-1 Nations League victory over Romania. However, he returned to the AXA Training Centre after sustaining a thigh injury.
Sweden boss Graham Potter said: “He’s got a small problem with his thigh. It’s not a big one but because of the amount of games we’ve got in a small space of time, he won’t be able to make those. It was during the game. Like anything, you sometimes get bumps and bruises in the game, you might think it’s a bit of a dead leg or something. But actually as the 24 hours, 48 hours after the game, not quite what you think. Unfortunately after getting it checked out, it’s a little bit more than what you think during the match. He has to miss the rest of the camp.”
The club has called the issue 'minor', suggesting Isak could be in contention for this weekend. Gakpo, meanwhile, sustained an ankle injury after a strong challenge from Serbia and Ipswich Town midfielder Sasa Lukic in the Netherlands' next match. New Netherlands head coach Xabi said he was hopeful the Liverpool forward had avoided a serious injury, but Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink said on X (formerly Twitter) that Gakpo would be out for "several weeks".
Jacquet and Leoni updates
Liverpool are waiting to discover the extent of Jacquet's fitness issue after he missed France's 4-1 Nations League win over Belgium on Monday evening. The French Football Federation released a statement declaring the centre-back had suffered a "strain to his left hamstring", but new France boss Zinedine Zidane said afterwards that Jacquet was only "slightly injured".
Giovanni Leoni, who represents the future of the Reds' defence alongside Jacquet, is closing in on a return to full training after more than a year out with the anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained on his debut for the club. It is hoped the Italian could rejoin the main group by the middle of this month, though he is unlikely to be immediately considered for selection.
Long-term absentees and Chiesa boost
Hugo Ekitike has not played since rupturing his Achilles tendon against his former club Paris Saint-Germain in April. According to L'Equipe, the striker could return to training next month, with a long-term target of getting back into action by Boxing Day.
Federico Chiesa, who has yet to play this season, should have returned to training around the international break, according to Iraola, giving Liverpool a forward selection boost amid concerns over Gakpo and Isak. Conor Bradley remains the furthest away, with Iraola saying last month: "I think he is not close to training with the team. He’s training alone, but he has started touching the ball. Definitely, I want him as quick as possible ready, but it’s a long-term injury."
