Liverpool Receive Injury Updates on Victor Munoz, Bradley Barcola and Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool were without Victor Munoz during Thursday’s training session, while Bradley Barcola completed an individual workout as the Reds continued preparations for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Brighton.
Munoz missed Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Villarreal after picking up a minor knee injury. The Spanish winger was also absent from training at the AXA Training Centre, leaving his availability for the weekend uncertain.
Head coach Andoni Iraola is expected to provide an update on Munoz’s condition when he addresses the media on Friday ahead of Liverpool’s meeting with the Seagulls.
Meanwhile, Barcola trained separately from his teammates as part of an individual programme designed to manage his workload following a demanding run of fixtures.
The France international had featured for 250 minutes across Liverpool’s matches against Manchester City, LASK and Brentford within just six days. His demanding schedule followed a disrupted pre-season caused by his drawn-out £123 million transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Consequently, the 23-year-old was restricted to just 16 minutes during Tuesday’s dramatic 4-3 Champions League victory over Villarreal at Anfield.
Liverpool’s decision to have Barcola train individually appears to be a precaution as the club carefully manages his fitness ahead of the Brighton encounter. Iraola is expected to clarify the winger’s condition during Friday’s press conference.
Dominik Szoboszlai was another notable absentee from Thursday’s session as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
The Hungarian midfielder returned to action prematurely after sustaining the problem during international duty earlier this month. He subsequently suffered another setback and was forced off during the first half of Liverpool’s victory over Brentford on Saturday.
Iraola indicated earlier this week that Szoboszlai’s injury was not expected to keep him out for an extended period. However, the midfielder is likely to miss Sunday’s match against Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton.
Jeremie Frimpong will also be unavailable after sustaining a muscle injury against Brentford. The Netherlands international joins Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley on Liverpool’s injury list.
With several players facing fitness concerns, Friday’s press conference could provide crucial clarity on Liverpool’s available options ahead of a potentially challenging Premier League encounter.
