Liverpool Receive Bradley Barcola Boost as Szoboszlai and Munoz Face Brighton Absences
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed that Bradley Barcola is available for Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Munoz are expected to miss the encounter.
Barcola was left out of Liverpool’s 4-3 Champions League victory over Villarreal on Tuesday after featuring heavily in the team’s previous three matches against Manchester City, LASK and Brentford within a demanding seven-day period.
The £123 million summer arrival completed an individual training session at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday before rejoining his teammates for normal training on Friday. He is now expected to be included in the squad for Brighton’s visit to Anfield.
However, Liverpool are unlikely to have Munoz and Szoboszlai available. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Iraola explained that Barcola had returned to full training without any problems.
He also revealed that Munoz was struggling with an injury sustained during the first half of the Brentford match. Although the winger managed to finish that game, he has continued to experience discomfort, making his availability for Sunday’s fixture doubtful.
Szoboszlai Still Struggling With Injury
Szoboszlai has yet to resume full team training and continues to work individually as he recovers from his ongoing injury problem.
The Hungarian midfielder missed Liverpool’s matches against Manchester City and LASK following the international break. He returned to the starting lineup against Brentford last weekend but was forced off after just 32 minutes.
Iraola subsequently clarified that Szoboszlai had not suffered a fresh injury but was experiencing a continuation of his previous issue. The midfielder also missed Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Villarreal.
Munoz, who scored in Liverpool’s win over Brentford, was also unavailable against Villarreal because of a knee problem.
Meanwhile, Jeremie Frimpong is expected to remain sidelined until after the next international break after suffering an injury shortly after coming on at half-time against Brentford. He joins Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni on Liverpool’s injury list.
Iraola Warns Liverpool About Brighton Threat
Brighton travel to Anfield sitting above Liverpool in the Premier League standings, and Iraola has praised the work Fabian Hurzeler has done with the Seagulls.
The Liverpool boss described Brighton as a well-organised side with considerable technical quality, stressing that his players must deliver an outstanding performance to secure a positive result.
Iraola also expects an entertaining contest, drawing comparisons with Liverpool’s recent encounter against Villarreal. He believes both teams will look to control possession and dictate the tempo rather than settle into a cautious approach.
With Barcola available but several important players facing fitness concerns, Liverpool must now prepare carefully for a difficult Premier League test against a Brighton side enjoying an impressive campaign.
