With only five games of the Premier League season ticked off the calendar, the international break has arrived. For the eighteen members of Liverpool’s first team squad that have been selected for international call-up, it is a longer break than usual, with national sides set to play four times over a three-week period.
However, not every member of Iraola’s squad has been selected by their nation, giving Iraola a smaller group to work with after he confirmed that Liverpool players would still be training at the AXA Training Centre over the next three weeks, with a short holiday for players to enjoy beforehand.
Which Liverpool players have not been called up?
Alisson Becker is one of the most notable names remaining on Merseyside after missing out on Brazil’s latest squad.
Carlo Ancelotti has opted to assess alternative goalkeeping options in a bid to prioritise younger players, with all three keepers selected under the age of 27 and all playing in the Brazilian league.
Wataru Endo is another experienced player who will not be representing his country after stepping away from international football, having conceded defeat in his attempts to be fit for Japan at the 2026 World Cup.
Alongside the pair, an English quintet including Joe Gomez, Freddie Woodman, Luke Chambers, James McConnell and Jayden Danns will also remain at the AXA.
For Iraola, the break therefore provides a valuable opportunity to work more closely with a number of players who have had limited involvement during the opening stages of the season, and who will now have a chance to impress the Basque manager.
Five Liverpool players remain injured
The remaining five players in the group are currently unavailable because of injury.
Conor Bradley, Federico Chiesa, Giovanni Leoni, Hugo Ekitike and Vitezslav Jaros will all continue their respective rehabilitation programmes.
The international break could prove particularly useful for the Italian pair Chiesa and Leoni, with both players having previously been tipped to return to team training during this period.
Rather than travelling with their countries, the pair can use the next few weeks to continue building their fitness before attempting to force their way into Iraola's plans.
Chance for Liverpool fringe players
The break could also provide opportunities for Liverpool's younger players to gain valuable minutes.
Danns, McConnell and Chambers have already featured for the Under-21s, while Liverpool's U21 side are due to face Doncaster in their second EFL Trophy fixture on October 6.
That fixture could offer another route to competitive minutes for players who need to maintain their sharpness, while potentially giving returning senior players the chance to step up their rehabilitation.
Iraola's numbers may be severely reduced over the next three weeks, but the 18 first-team players on international duty are not the only squad members to keep an eye on.
For Liverpool's 12 non-internationals, the international break provides an important opportunity to impress their new head coach before the Premier League campaign resumes.
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