Liverpool absolutely thrashed LASK Linz, 6-3 in the UEFA Champions League last night, in a match that was even more lopsided than that score line sounds. LASK score two of their three goals much later in the match, long after the eventual result was already decided. After the match, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola provided injury/fitness/rehabilitation updates on Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Giovanni Leoni.
Let’s dive straight into it, as the match at Brentford will get here before you know it!
Liverpool FC at Brentford FYIs
Kickoff: 3pm, Saturday Oct. 17, GTech Community Stadium, London, UK
Result Probability: Liverpool win 34% Brentford FC win 40% Draw 26%
Premier League Standing, Form: Liverpool FC 9th, 9 pts, DWDWL Brentford FC 4th, 10 pts, DDDWD
Liverpool Team News at Brentford
“It’s [too] early for us to say – we have training tomorrow,” Iraola said on the stauses of Isak, Szoboszlai and Gakpo. “Obviously, they were not ready for [Wednesday] night, so we have to wait and see… I think it is really early, but I will leave the chance open.”
So all three will face late fitness tests on the weekend, in order to make the matchday squad.
Meanwhile Leoni will be out longer than expected. His timeline for return will be delayed another month, at least.
“It’s taking more time than we wanted,” Iraola said of the delayed rehabilitation process.
“The plan was to train with the team in this past international break [but] probably it’s going to be in the next [one], so we’ve lost one month in the process. 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 in a good place.”
Elsewhere midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is suspended here after seeing red (two yellows) in the 3-0 loss to Manchester City this past Sunday.
Hugo Ekitike and Conor Bradley remain sidelined as longer-term injury absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.