Liverpool thought it had finally assembled enough firepower to make another run at the Premier League title. Now, just as Manchester City arrive at Anfield, that attacking depth is being tested in a way Andoni Iraola could hardly have wanted.
Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo both returned early from international duty with injuries, and Iraola confirmed Thursday that both remain doubts for Sunday. Isak has a thigh problem, while Gakpo is dealing with an ankle issue. With Hugo Ekitiké already sidelined by a serious Achilles injury, Liverpool could suddenly be without three of the players expected to carry much of the attacking load before a crucial match.
Liverpool’s Attack Could Be Missing Its Main Weapons
The timing could not be worse. Liverpool are unbeaten through seven games under Iraola, winning four and drawing three, but Manchester City have won all five of their Premier League matches. The Reds now face the league’s hottest team with the possibility that their own attacking lineup could look very different from the one Iraola expected to have at the start of the season.
Isak has already scored four Premier League goals, making him Liverpool’s leading scorer and one of the most important pieces in Iraola’s new attack. He was also the player Liverpool increasingly depended upon after Ekitiké’s Achilles injury left the club without its intended two-striker setup. Liverpool’s own injury update confirmed the seriousness of Ekitiké’s injury, while Isak’s four-goal start showed why his availability has become so important.
Ekitiké’s Injury Has Changed the Equation
Liverpool did not necessarily enter the season with an obvious attacking-depth problem. The plan was to have Isak and Ekitiké available as two major center-forward options, with Gakpo capable of contributing from several positions. Ekitiké’s Achilles rupture changed everything, leaving Isak to shoulder much more of the central attacking responsibility.
That makes the current situation more serious than simply losing two players for one game. If Isak cannot recover, Liverpool lose their established central focal point. If Gakpo is also unavailable, Iraola loses another player capable of stretching defenses, carrying the ball and operating in multiple attacking roles. The squad still has options, but the manager would be replacing two established pieces rather than simply rotating his lineup.
Liverpool Have Options — But None Are Isak or Gakpo
There is some good news for Iraola. Federico Chiesa has returned to training after missing the start of the season with a back injury, and Bradley Barcola gives Liverpool another established attacking option after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain. Victor Muñoz and Rio Ngumoha also provide younger alternatives. Chiesa is even listed as a possible option for the Manchester City game after his recovery.
The problem is that none offers exactly what Liverpool would lose if Isak and Gakpo are both absent. Isak gives Liverpool a natural center-forward who can stretch defenses and finish chances, while Gakpo provides a different kind of threat with his size, movement and ability to play across the front line. Against a Manchester City side that has started the season perfectly, Liverpool need every one of those attacking qualities.
Manchester City Is A Huge Test
This is what makes the timing so uncomfortable. Liverpool have been solid enough to remain unbeaten, but Iraola has already acknowledged that the team has lacked some attacking fluidity as it adjusts to his methods. Manchester City, meanwhile, have won all five league matches and arrive at Anfield having established themselves as the early team to beat.
Neither Isak nor Gakpo has been ruled out, so this is not yet a case of Liverpool definitely losing both players. But the warning signs are there. If they both miss Sunday’s game, Iraola will not simply be making two changes to his starting lineup. He will be asking a reshaped attack to produce against the strongest team Liverpool have faced so far — and that could tell us a lot about how much depth this squad really has.
Liverpool’s Attack Faces a Brutal Test With Isak and Gakpo Doubts