Liverpool face LASK with Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai out; Van Dijk doubtful

Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai were excluded from Liverpool’s squad for their first away match in this season's Champions League campaign. The trio remained unavailable as the team traveled to Austria to contest LASK.

Injury status and squad selection

All three players had previously missed Sunday’s 3-0 Premier League defeat against Manchester City. Manager Andoni Iraola stated during a pre-match press conference that he could not specify when the injured players would return, according to Sky Sports. He noted that none of the three had trained with the group since the loss.

"They are not far away, but it is difficult for me to tell you now," Iraola said regarding the recovery timeline. "We are taking it day by day, and I do not know whether they will be ready for Brentford, Villarreal or Brighton."

Virgil van Dijk reported a painful leg injury following the match against Manchester City. Despite these concerns, the defender was included in the 23-man squad list for the fixture in Linz.

Jayden Danns, Wellity Lucky and Josh Sonni-Lambie received call-ups to the traveling party. Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa were omitted from Liverpool’s registered Champions League list.

Iraola backs new signings amid criticism

Iraola expressed full confidence in Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, who have faced scrutiny over their performance levels since joining the club in transfers exceeding £100 million. The manager acknowledged the absence of his primary scorers while emphasizing trust in the available roster.

"It is true that Cody, Alex and Dom are our main scorers this season, because they are the ones who have played most in those positions," Iraola explained. "We need other players to give us those numbers, and we trust the players who are available now."

Regarding Wirtz specifically, Iraola highlighted recent contributions at the international level. "Maybe he did not play his best match, but he has played good games with us this season," he said. "I think he performed well with his national team and scored a goal. He will have better and worse matches, but I like to look at it collectively."

The manager added that both Wirtz and Barcola have experienced fluctuations in form similar to other players. "Bradley and Flo (Wirtz) have had good games and bad games like everyone else, but we know their level, and we are completely confident that they will produce good performances," Iraola stated.

Rotation expected in tight schedule

The match against LASK represents the second of six fixtures scheduled for Liverpool within an 18-day period. Iraola confirmed that lineup changes are anticipated due to player fatigue and minor physical issues.

"Because of keeping players fresh and some minor aches, it will be difficult to field the same starting eleven tomorrow," the manager said.

Iraola emphasized the objective of securing consecutive victories in the competition. "We want to win and we want to start strongly in the Champions League. We got our first win and we want the second, because we are aiming to win as many matches as possible," he concluded.