On the weekend against convicted £900M financial dopers and sportswashers Manchester City, key injuries in midfield and attack rather limited the options head coach Andoni Iraola had at his disposal for Liverpool.
When the Reds take on Austria’s LASK on Wednesday in the Champions League, the situation doesn’t appear to have changed. As on Sunday, Iraola will be without striker Alexander Isak, winger Cody Gakpo, and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai after all three were left off the travelling squad today.
With Hugo Ekitike out until the new year after rupturing his achilles in April and departed sporting director Richard Hughes having not seen a need to bring in striker reinforcements, it will be again be up to young Lewis Koumas to lead the line for the Reds.
Or at least that’s the expectation given the alternative would be to play winger Bradley Barcola out of position or to ask Florian Wirtz with his clearly shattered confidence on the ball to lead the line as a false nine.
Were Gakpo fit he might be expected to slide over from the wing, but he’s not. And were Szoboszlai fit he might actually be the next one up and be asked to move forward to cover the position, but he’s not. The knock on effects of those injuries will further limit options elsewhere—and make it hard to rest any players who might need it.
Still, regardless injuries Liverpool will be expected to bounce back from Sunday’s 3-0 defeat, and after watching referee Chris Kavanagh give every 50:50 City’s way—eyebrow raising given City’s now legally confirmed history of cheating—it will also be a relief to get away from English officials for a night.
