Liverpool Injury News: Isak, Szoboszlai and Gakpo Leave Iraola Waiting Before Brentford
Liverpool head to Brentford with a squad that still looks unsettled, and that is the simple truth of it. After a damaging 3-0 defeat against Manchester City and a chaotic 6-3 win over LASK, Andoni Iraola has three major selection calls hanging over him. Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are all doubts, and none of them trained in time to face LASK.
This matters because Brentford have started well under Keith Andrews and they are not handing out easy afternoons to anyone. Liverpool need a response, they need control in midfield, and they need goals up front. Right now, whether they get those things may depend on late fitness checks rather than tactics.
Iraola was careful, but he did leave the door open. “It’s early for us to say, we have still tomorrow’s training,” Iraola said of Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo on Thursday. “Obviously, they were not ready for last night [against LASK].” He added, “We have to wait and see. I think it’s still very early but the same way I said they are not available for the previous games, I leave the chance open this time, yes.”
Brentford Test Comes at Bad Time
Liverpool are already without Ryan Gravenberch, suspended after his red card in the defeat to City. That sends Iraola into a demanding away game short of certainty in the middle of the pitch. Szoboszlai’s possible return would ease that problem immediately. If he does not make it, the burden could fall again on Trey Nyoni, still only 19, after his recent involvement.
The issue for Szoboszlai is a hamstring tightness caused by overload. It is not dramatic, but those are the injuries that can become serious if forced. He missed both the City game and the European trip, which tells you Liverpool have been cautious. Given the fixture list ahead, four straight home matches after Brentford, there is no logic in gambling if the risk remains there.
Photo: IMAGO
As for Isak, the situation is straightforward. Liverpool’s £125m striker returned early from international duty with a minor thigh issue and has not featured since. If he is fit, he starts. If he is not, Liverpool lose their most dangerous central forward again and have to improvise. Lewis Koumas did his case no harm with a goal against LASK, but Brentford away is a different test entirely. Space is tighter, duels are harder and young forwards get fewer favours.
Gakpo is in a similar category. His ankle problem, picked up on international duty with the Netherlands, ruled him out of the last two games. Liverpool have missed his flexibility across the front line. He can start wide, play through the middle and keep attacks flowing. Without him, Iraola’s options shrink.
Szoboszlai and Isak Key to Liverpool Balance
There is a reason these absences feel heavier than the usual weekly injury bulletin. Szoboszlai gives Liverpool energy and vertical passing from midfield. Isak gives them penalty-box threat and pace beyond the back line. Gakpo connects the attack. Remove all three and the side loses structure in too many areas at once.
That is why the Brentford game feels awkward rather than merely difficult. Liverpool are trying to recover momentum after a poor domestic result, but they may have to do it with one hand tied behind their back. Iraola can talk about opportunities for younger players, and managers always do, but established quality still decides Premier League matches.
For now, the expectation is simple. All three still have a chance. None can be called likely with confidence. Saturday’s session and final checks will decide it.
Longer-Term Liverpool Injury News
Beyond the immediate concerns, Liverpool are still managing two more significant recoveries, plus one delayed return that remains frustrating.
Giovanni Leoni’s comeback has hit another pause. The defender has been out for 13 months after a severe knee injury suffered on debut following his £26million move from Parma. Liverpool had hoped he would rejoin training during the last international break, but that has now been pushed back.
Iraola explained the problem clearly. “It’s taking more time than we wanted,” Iraola said of Leoni’s delayed comeback. “The planning was to train with the team in this past international break [but] probably it’s going to be in the next international break, so we’ve lost one month in the process.” He continued, “Giovanni’s injury, I wasn’t here but talking to the medical department, it was not just an ACL, it was a bad injury, a lot of things around the knee were involved apart from the ACL.”
The message from Liverpool is caution. Iraola said, “He has to be very confident, the rehab process has to be very careful with him and we want to make sure once he comes to the team, he stays there in a good place.” He added, “It’s true that we’ve had, not a setback, but a little bit of a delay, if you want. The plan now is he starts in the next break. It’s not that far but it’s a little bit later than we expected, yes.” December remains the broad target.
Hugo Ekitike and Conor Bradley are in better shape, relatively speaking. Ekitike has been out since rupturing his Achilles in April, an injury that usually wipes out the better part of a year. Bradley has been sidelined with knee damage since January. Neither is close enough for Brentford, but both are moving in the right direction.
“They are both doing very well,” Iraola said of Ekitike and Conor Bradley on Thursday. “I think they are in a good place. Conor is not so far from training with the group, not like full training but doing some things with the group. Hugo is a little bit behind that but that was always the plan. He is still doing very well according to the plan.”
Latest Return Dates Before Brentford
Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo all have a possible return date of Saturday against Brentford, but that remains conditional on late assessment. Leoni is now being aimed towards December after his delay. Bradley could also return in December if his partial reintegration continues smoothly. Ekitike’s timeline is longer, with January 2027 still the likely target.
That leaves Liverpool in a familiar place, waiting on bodies and trying to keep pace. Against Brentford, the answer may come down to three names. Szoboszlai, Isak, Gakpo. If even two of them make it, the outlook changes. If none do, Liverpool will need to dig out a result the hard way.