Alexander Isak will not play against Manchester City on Sunday, with Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola confirming that the forward is not ready because of a thigh injury. Cody Gakpo will also miss the match, while Jeremy Jacquet is available.
The update adds another layer of concern for Liverpool ahead of a busy stretch. The club is about to enter a run of seven games across three competitions in the next three weeks, a schedule that will test the squad even before the midweek demands begin to pile up.
Liverpool's forward options are already stretched
Isak's absence matters because Liverpool are already dealing with attacking availability issues. Hugo Ekitike is still months away from recovery after rupturing his Achilles, which leaves the team with fewer proven options at the top end of the pitch.
On the eve of Liverpool vs Man City at Anfield, Iraola said Isak and Gakpo will not play and that both are not ready. He also made clear that they do not look like long-term issues, but that does little to ease the immediate problem for a side facing Manchester City and then a heavy sequence of fixtures in short order.
A demanding stretch starts now
Iraola pointed to the next month as especially difficult, noting that Liverpool must be ready for top-four opponents, Champions League matches and Chelsea in the Carabao Cup all coming within a few days of each other. That makes the timing of the Isak injury particularly awkward, even if the concern does not appear to be long term.
Liverpool invested £116m in Isak, so any time he misses matters. For this match, though, the main takeaway is simple: Liverpool will go into one of their biggest league games without him, and they will have to manage the squad carefully from here.
