Liverpool sweating on Jeremy Jacquet fitness ahead of Manchester City clash

Liverpool are facing a nervous wait over Jeremy Jacquet's fitness ahead of Sunday's visit of Manchester City to Anfield. The young French centre-back was left out of the France squad for the 4-1 Nations League win over Belgium on Monday, and the Reds are waiting to discover the full extent of the muscular problem that kept him sidelined for the Premier League showdown.

• Jeremy Jacquet has a left hamstring strain and is a doubt for Sunday's match.
• The 21-year-old has played in all seven Liverpool games this season, starting six alongside Virgil van Dijk.
• Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo also returned early from international duty with fitness issues.
• Manchester City arrive at Anfield as unbeaten Premier League leaders with a perfect record.

Jacquet's rapid rise under Iraola

Jacquet has become a trusted figure for Andoni Iraola during his first season in charge at Liverpool. The French defender has featured in every league match so far, starting six of those games in central defence alongside Virgil van Dijk. His partnership with the Dutchman has brought stability to a back line that looked uncertain during the opening weeks of the campaign.

The French Football Federation confirmed the defender picked up a strain to his left hamstring. Zinedine Zidane, the France head coach, described him as 'slightly injured' after the Belgium match. Liverpool's medical staff are now assessing the player to determine if he can recover in time for Sunday's game.

Defensive cover options for Liverpool

Should Jacquet miss out, Iraola has solid alternatives to partner Van Dijk. Ronald Araujo, on loan from Barcelona, is the most natural replacement for the Frenchman. Joe Gomez also remains available and has shown throughout his career that he can be relied upon in high-stakes fixtures like the one against Manchester City.

Liverpool's recent defensive record offers encouragement. The team has kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league, suggesting that the early-season wobbles against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest have been addressed. Losing Jacquet now would be a blow, but the depth at the back gives Iraola flexibility.

Attacking headaches adding to Liverpool worries

The defensive concerns are not the only issue for the Liverpool manager. Both Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo had their international duties cut short. The Swedish forward was sent home after playing just one match because of a minor thigh problem, while the Dutchman is seen as a bigger worry after picking up an ankle injury.

If the pair are unavailable for Sunday, Iraola would be left short of attacking options. Bradley Barcola, signed in the summer, could be pushed into a central role even though he is more comfortable starting from the wing. Florian Wirtz, traditionally a number 10, could also be moved further forward to operate closer to the City goal.

City arrive as the ultimate test for new-look Liverpool

Manchester City travel to Anfield as the league's unbeaten leaders, having claimed maximum points from all their matches this season. This will be their first game since an independent commission found the club guilty of the vast majority of charges relating to financial breaches, a situation that dominates the narrative around the champions but does not alter the sporting challenge they present.

For Liverpool, the match carries enormous weight. The Reds have not lost in the Premier League yet, but three draws in their opening five games leave them six points behind City. A win on Sunday would not only cut that gap but would also signal that Iraola's project, still in its early stages, is ready to compete with the league's strongest side.

What victory would mean at Anfield

Sunday's match feels like a turning point for both clubs. Liverpool need to prove that their recent defensive solidity is genuine and that they can go toe-to-toe with a team built to dominate English football. Three straight clean sheets back up the sense of improvement, but the draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest left the team with a feeling of missed opportunity.

Manchester City, on the other hand, are defending their status as leaders and a perfect start. A slip at Anfield would not derail their season, but it would end their winning run and hand momentum to the chasing pack. For Liverpool, the prize is double: three vital points in the table and a major boost in belief for a squad still shaping its identity.