Liverpool sweat on Isak and Gakpo as injuries hit international break before Manchester City

Liverpool have been hit by problems since they last played Premier League football, with Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo both back at Anfield after suffering injuries on international duty with Sweden and the Netherlands respectively. The Manchester City fixture that follows the break now comes with a complicated availability picture — and Andoni Iraola expects only two of his walking wounded to recover in time.

Isak and Gakpo return early

Isak was the victim of the international break, picking up an injury during Sweden's Nations League match against Romania, while Gakpo also came back early with a problem sustained on Dutch duty. Both players are now with Liverpool's medical staff for assessment, and the club's timelines for the pair will shape how Iraola prepares for the leaders.

Ekitike closing in

There is better news on Hugo Ekitike. The 24-year-old, named in Liverpool's Champions League squad for fixtures running into January, is now able to jog as he makes his way back from injury, and the club's timelines suggest he could be one of the two players Iraola expects to recover in time for the weekend. Giovanni Leoni's return to fitness is tracking behind him, with the coach having previously indicated the young defender was still some way from team training.

The stakes against City

Manchester City lie in wait as the Premier League leaders, and Iraola will want a strong squad for that test. Losing both Isak and Gakpo would strip the front line of its two most natural wide-to-inside threats; keeping even one of them available changes how Liverpool can press the league leaders high and how much rotation the midfield can absorb. The next few days of assessments at Anfield will decide which version of the team sheet turns up — and whether the gap at the top of the table looks bridgeable.