When the Premier League schedule hands you a three-week international break, tension doesn't just dissipate it simmers in the background. And for Liverpool fans, the looming arrival of table-topping Manchester City to Anfield on Sunday carries all the emotional weight and high-stakes drama of a season-defining afternoon.
Seven competitive matches into his reign at the helm, Andoni Iraola has overseen a steady, unbeaten start on the pitch. Yet as his senior figures trickle back into Kirkby from across the globe, the Basque boss finds himself confronting a severe selection headache just as Enzo Maresca’s relentless City side prepare to walk down the tunnel.
Sitting down exclusively with beIN SPORTS to preview the clash, the 44-year-old manager provided an honest assessment of his squad's physical shape and he certainly isn't ruling key attacking figures out of Sunday's titan battle just yet.
Iraola on Isak and Gakpo
The primary concern hovering over the AXA Training Centre is the fitness of Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, both of whom suffered setbacks while representing their respective national sides over the fortnight.
Addressing the situation head-on, Iraola laid out the precise injury picture facing his medical staff:
“Isak and Cody Gakpo both have had to leave the national teams with injuries. Now it’s a matter of if they are going to recover in time to help us in the next game or not.”
Elaborating further on the lingering uncertainty ahead of kickoff, the Liverpool head coach admitted:
“On the injury situation... I think Alex Isak and Cody Gakpo both have had to leave the national teams with injuries. Now it's a matter of if they are going to recover in time to help us in the next game or not. But right now they are both injured.”
The potential absence of Gakpo Liverpool's leading assist-maker this term alongside Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Federico Chiesa, and Vitezslav Jaros leaves Iraola’s attacking and defensive rotations stretched thin.
Respecting City's form while searching for the tactical sting
While Liverpool remain unbeaten across nine matches in all competitions, including solid away triumphs and clean sheets against Bournemouth and Ipswich Town, recent domestic home draws against Nottingham Forest (2-2) and Fulham (0-0) mean the Reds are still fine-tuning their rhythm under Iraola's pressing system.
Contrast that with Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City, who arrive on Merseyside boasting a 100% record in the league and five consecutive victories across all competitions, scoring 13 goals in their last five outings alone.
Iraola was quick to acknowledge the sheer momentum City bring into Sunday's contest:
“We’ve been unbeaten but they’ve won all of them, so it makes a big difference in their side. I think we need to be very, very good if we want to beat City because they’ve been especially offensively scoring a lot of goals lately.
“We know the names that are very dangerous. But I think also we’ve shown good defensive improvements lately and I hope we can defend the threats that they have and also hurt them on the other side.”
What it means for Liverpool and the Anfield factor
From a Kopite perspective, matches against City under the Anfield floodlights are rarely just about 90 minutes of tactics. Following the guilty verdict handed to Manchester City regarding their financial breaches, a fiery, hostile atmosphere awaits Maresca’s men when they step onto the pitch.
City may hold recent head-to-head dominance winning the last three meetings by an aggregate score of 9-1 and feature Erling Haaland in rampant scoring form, but their historical record at Anfield remains notoriously poor, yielding just two wins from their last 16 league visits.
Furthermore, Maresca has selection worries of his own, Erling Haaland remains a doubt with Phil Foden suspended following his red card against Manchester United, while Antoine Semenyo and Nico O'Reilly remain sidelined.
For Iraola, this match represents a massive opportunity. A victory against the league leaders would not only blow the title race wide open but serve as a definitive statement of intent for his Anfield era.
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