Andoni Iraola drops huge Liverpool injury hint ahead of Brentford clash

Andoni Iraola drops huge Liverpool injury hint ahead of Brentford clash Liverpool Injury Update: Iraola Keeps Brentford Return in Play for Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo Liverpool head into a difficult away trip at Brentford with the squad stretched, the midfield thinner than ideal and the attack still waiting on key names. The one piece of good news is that Andoni Iraola has not ruled out a return for Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, even if he is clearly offering no guarantees. That matters. Liverpool looked underpowered in the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, a game that exposed what happens when three frontline options disappear at once. Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo were all absent again in midweek, when Liverpool beat LASK Linz 6-3 in the Champions League, but the manager’s language before the Brentford match was noticeably less definitive. Iraola said: “It’s early for us to say, we still have to train tomorrow. “Obviously they were not ready for yesterday night, so we have to wait and see. I think it is still very early but, the same way I said that they were not available for the previous games, I leave the chance open this time, yes.” Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo latest The three injuries have arrived in inconvenient fashion. Isak and Gakpo picked up their issues on international duty, thigh and ankle respectively. Szoboszlai’s case is more frustrating from Liverpool’s point of view. He came back from Hungary duty appearing fine, then missed the City defeat with a hamstring problem. Photo: IMAGO That leaves Brentford preparing for a Liverpool side who may still be without one of their most influential midfielders and two important attacking options. It also leaves Iraola balancing optimism with realism, which is fair enough. There is no point pretending players are ready when they are not, and no point ruling them out too early if there is still one more training session to get through. Brentford test sharpens midfield problem If Szoboszlai does not make it, Liverpool have a more obvious issue in midfield because Ryan Gravenberch is suspended. His sending off against City, two yellow cards and a costly exit, has removed another senior option from an area already short on certainty. That opens the door again for Trey Nyoni, who started against LASK alongside Gravenberch, while Alexis Mac Allister was held in reserve. The schedule is relentless and Iraola is not hiding from it. Liverpool are effectively living game to game, making changes out of necessity, not luxury. He said: “Yes, especially in this period where we are basically playing every three days. “You need more players, and that’s why we changed the team a little bit yesterday. “We will need to change again at the weekend, we will need to change again when we face Villarreal next Tuesday night. “We will need everyone, in one moment or another. Everyone has to be ready because we will need them probably.” Nyoni and Koumas earning trust There is at least some encouragement in the way younger players are responding. Nyoni has handled responsibility with composure, and Lewis Koumas is getting proper minutes because circumstances demand it. That is how squad depth gets tested. Sometimes it works, sometimes it exposes the gap between potential and established quality. Iraola’s assessment of Nyoni was direct and positive. He said: “Trey is a player who is very young, he is very mature, he understands the game very well, he is tactically smart and he has to continue going in this direction. “He has been involved a lot and he has to keep this level up, be a No6 or an 8, he has to put pressure on the other midfielders. It’s good he can perform in the Champions League.” On Koumas, he added: “He deserves the minutes. We are using him more because Isak is injured but if I wasn’t comfortable then I have other options. “He knows he is ready to learn and be the best player he can be. He had a lovely moment yesterday, two goals disallowed and finally scoring the third one. A lovely moment for him.” Liverpool selection call remains open For now, Liverpool’s injury update is simple enough. Brentford may come too soon for Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo, but none of them have been ruled out. In a packed run of league and European fixtures, that is enough for Iraola to keep the door open and enough for Brentford to prepare for more than one version of this Liverpool side. That uncertainty helps Liverpool. They need it, because with suspensions, injuries and a demanding calendar, they are not exactly overloaded with margin for error. For more on Liverpool’s schedule and squad management, see Premier League.