Iraola in doubt over Isak and Gakpo for Liverpool vs Manchester City

Liverpool head into the visit of Manchester City with a serious attacking headache. Andoni Iraola has admitted that Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are nursing injuries picked up during the international break, and neither is guaranteed to feature on Sunday. Both players left their national team camps early, leaving the Reds coach with real uncertainty ahead of one of the biggest matches of the season.

• Alexander Isak returned from Sweden with a thigh problem and is a doubt to face City.
• Cody Gakpo came back from the Netherlands with an ankle issue and is also racing to be fit.
• Iraola confirmed that both players are currently injured and will be assessed before kick-off.
• Liverpool are unbeaten with four wins and three draws, while City lead the table with a flawless record.

Isak and Gakpo injured after the international break

The international window has taken a toll on Liverpool's squad. Isak returned to Merseyside nursing a thigh complaint, while Gakpo finished his time with the Netherlands suffering from an ankle problem. Iraola was blunt about the state of his two key forwards, saying both had to leave their national teams with injuries and that it is now a matter of seeing whether they can recover in time to help the side in the next game.

The situation is made worse by the fact that the manager had already accepted a long-term Achilles injury to Hugo Ekitike. Losing Isak and Gakpo as well, even for a single match, would leave Liverpool's attack severely depleted just as the Premier League leaders arrive at Anfield.

Liverpool vs Manchester City: a match that could shape the title race

Sunday's clash is anything but routine. City travel to Anfield as unbeaten leaders with a perfect record, and the fixture carries extra weight as their first match since an independent commission found them guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. For Iraola, it is the most demanding test of his time in charge of Liverpool.

The coach was honest when comparing both teams' form. He pointed out that his side have not lost, but that the visitors have won every game, and that makes a big difference. He admitted they will need to be very, very good to beat City given how many goals they have been scoring, although he trusts the defensive improvements shown in recent weeks to deal with their threats and hurt them at the other end.

Defensive concerns: silence over Jeremy Jacquet

Iraola did not address the situation of Jeremy Jacquet, who was left out of France's squad for their match against Belgium due to a hamstring strain. His omission from the national team list raised concerns, but the Liverpool boss focused his comments on the two forwards and kept the centre-back's availability unclear.

Finding the balance between attack and defence

Beyond the injuries, the Liverpool manager acknowledged that his team is still searching for the right balance between defensive solidity and attacking fluency. He recalled that in Newcastle, in a 2-2 draw, they played well but conceded twice in transition, and that in recent matches they have controlled games more but lacked the offensive spark of the opening weeks.

Obviously we want to attack very well and defend very well, but sometimes you have to choose or adapt the team to what you prefer or what the requirements of a specific game are, and we are trying to balance all this.

What Liverpool are playing for against Manchester City at Anfield

The margin for error is narrowing. A home defeat to City would push Liverpool away from the top and pile pressure on a project still searching for consistency. A win, however, would knock the unbeaten leaders off their perch and send a clear message to the rest of the title contenders.

FAQs about Liverpool's injury doubts against Manchester City