It has not been revealed why Szoboszlai misses out but Isak and Gakpo each returned from international duty early with respective thigh and ankle injuries, which means youngster Lewis Koumas makes his first Premier league start.
“Cody has an ankle injury and it is a matter of him dealing with the pain,” Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola confirmed at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “It was a bad tackle.
"He is doing things individually. Alex has a thigh injury, it is a small injury but a muscle injury.
"They don't look like long-term [injuries]. We will be analysing day-to-day."
With Isak and Gakpo ruled out, along with long-term injury absentee Hugo Ekitike, it means all three of Liverpool’s natural centre-forwards are unavailable for selection against Man City.
Koumas, despite a lack of Premier League experience, has been given the nod up front.
Double injury blow: Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are both sidelined for Liverpool
PA
The good news for Liverpool is that Jeremy Jacquet has shaken off a hamstring strain which forced him to miss France’s final Nations League game, meaning Iraola can keep faith in a back five that has kept three Premier League clean sheets in a row.
In a further scare for Liverpool fans, neither Szoboszlai nor Alexis Mac Allister was reportedly seen arriving with the rest of the squad at their team hotel on Sunday morning, though Mac Allister’s does keep his place.
CONFIRMED TEAM NEWS
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez, Wirtz, Mac Allister, Munoz, Barcola, Araujo, Gravenberch, Koumas.
Substitutes: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Nyoni, McConnell, Ngumoha
Injured: Isak, Gakpo, Bradley, Leoni, Ekitike
Time and date: 4.30pm BST on Sunday October 11, 2026
Venue: Anfield
How to watch: Sky Sports