LIVERPOOL HIT BY TRIPLE INJURY BLOW AHEAD OF LASK CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLASH
Liverpool will be without three important players — Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai — for their UEFA Champions League encounter against LASK in Austria.
The trio were also unavailable for Liverpool’s disappointing defeat against Manchester City at Anfield over the weekend, with all three struggling with fitness issues following the international break. According to reports, none of them has recovered in time to join the travelling squad for Wednesday’s European fixture.
Liverpool have named a 23-man squad for the trip, with the continued absence of these key players leaving manager Andoni Iraola with fewer options as his team looks to return to winning ways.
Despite the setbacks, Liverpool will still be expected to put in a strong performance against LASK. The match also provides an opportunity for the manager to rotate his squad and give other players valuable minutes.
WIRTZ AND BARCOLA UNDER PRESSURE TO DELIVER
With Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai unavailable, additional responsibility will fall on Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola to make a difference in attack.
Both players struggled to make the desired impact during the defeat against Manchester City, increasing the pressure on them to produce better performances in the upcoming fixture.
Barcola is still adjusting to life at Liverpool following his arrival, so supporters may need to give the French attacker more time to settle into the team. However, expectations remain high because of the significant transfer fee involved in his move.
Wirtz, meanwhile, faces growing scrutiny over his performances. The German international arrived at Liverpool with a big reputation after impressing at Bayer Leverkusen, but he has yet to consistently reproduce that form in his new surroundings.
The Champions League clash against LASK could offer both players an opportunity to regain confidence, improve their performances and help Liverpool cope with the absence of their injured teammates.
Liverpool will hope their available attacking options can step up when needed, especially with important domestic and European fixtures coming thick and fast.
The Reds must now find a way to secure a positive result in Austria despite missing three key players.
