Liverpool Trio Gakpo, Isak and Szoboszlai Could Return Against Brentford

Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak and Dominik Szoboszlai could return for Liverpool’s visit to Brentford, with Iraola leaving the door open after the three missed the Reds’ last two matches.

The trio have been unavailable since sustaining fitness issues on international duty during the September and October breaks. None was fit for the 6-3 Champions League win over LASK in Linz, but a final decision on their involvement at the Gtech Community Stadium will depend on Friday’s training session.

Iraola said it was too soon to confirm whether any of the players would travel, but stressed that their prospects were more positive than before the previous fixtures. “They were not ready for the LASK game,” he said, adding that there was now a possibility they could be involved.

Liverpool head to Brentford with under 72 hours between matches after the high-scoring trip to Austria, and Villarreal await three days later. The packed schedule is set to force further changes to the side following rotation in Linz.

Rotation set to continue

Iraola has underlined the importance of using the full squad during a stretch in which Liverpool are playing roughly every three days. He expects more selection changes against Brentford and again for the Villarreal match as the staff attempt to manage workload and limit the risk of further injuries.

The Liverpool coach said every player must be prepared for a role, whether starting or coming from the bench, because the coming run will demand contributions across the group. The potential availability of Gakpo, Isak and Szoboszlai would give the Reds added attacking and midfield options as they look to carry their European momentum into the Premier League.