Liverpool Sweat on Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo for Brentford Trip

Liverpool will leave it until Friday's final training session to decide whether Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo can return at Brentford on Saturday, with Andoni Iraola refusing to rule any of the three out — but unable to promise any of them either.

The trio have missed Liverpool's last two matches, the 3-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester City and Wednesday's 6-3 Champions League win at LASK, after all three were hurt during the international break. Isak and Gakpo both withdrew from their national-team camps, the Dutch winger with an ankle problem, while Szoboszlai came back from Hungary duty with a tight hamstring after a heavy run of minutes.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Iraola said it was still too early for a verdict, pointing out that none of the three had been ready the night before against LASK but adding that he leaves the chance open this time, with Friday's session still to come. Liverpool.com reported the update from the press conference, and Football Today carried the same assessment of all three as late fitness calls.

Friday training will decide it

Of the three, Szoboszlai is arguably the one Liverpool can least afford to lose this weekend. Ryan Gravenberch is suspended after his red card against City — a dismissal our Gravenberch red-card analysis argued was the wrong call — so if the Hungarian's hamstring does not clear, Iraola's midfield is stripped of its two most progressive carriers at once. The alternative being discussed is a first Premier League start for teenager Trey Nyoni, a show of faith that would also be a measure of how thin the squad has become.

Up front, the stakes are just as clear. Isak has four goals in five appearances this season, finally looking like the striker Liverpool paid for, while Gakpo has added a goal and three assists in the league and formed an effective partnership with the Swede. Their absence against City was obvious; their possible return changes how Brentford have to set up.

Barcola has made his case

The one consolation from Wednesday night is that the cover performed. Bradley Barcola's hat-trick led the 6-3 win at LASK, and Florian Wirtz impressed alongside him, so Iraola is not short of in-form attackers if Gakpo and Isak need one more week. The problem is midfield depth, not firepower — and a makeshift engine room away at the side sitting fourth in the table is a very different test from a goal-fest in Austria.

So what does it mean?

Liverpool are ninth after the City defeat, and Brentford away is exactly the fixture where a patched-up side gets punished: organised, physical and unbeaten in the kind of home games promotion-era sides are supposed to lose. Get Szoboszlai back and Liverpool can control the game; lose him as well as Gravenberch and Iraola is asking a teenager and a reshuffle to run a Premier League midfield. Friday's training session, not Saturday's teamsheet, is where this match may be decided.

Beyond the Final Whistle verdict: Iraola is right to keep the door open, but hope is not a team selection. Liverpool's season has already been bent out of shape by this injury cluster, and Brentford is where they find out whether the squad underneath the stars is actually good enough. Would you start Nyoni if Szoboszlai misses out — or is that too big a gamble at Brentford?