Andoni Iraola Faces Injury Challenges Ahead of Liverpool's Season Opener
Andoni Iraola is already getting a sharp taste of life at Liverpool. Before he has even taken charge of a competitive game, his first Premier League XI is being shaped as much by the treatment room as the training pitch.
Liverpool open their league campaign on Sunday afternoon away at Newcastle United, but Iraola is still waiting for clarity on exactly who will be available for his debut in the Anfield dugout.
Long-term absentees bite early
Four senior players are already ruled out.
Hugo Ekitike faces a fight to play again before the end of the calendar year after suffering a serious Achilles injury in early April. The forward’s absence strips Liverpool of one of their more direct attacking options just as a new head coach looks to stamp his identity on the front line.
On the right side of defence, Conor Bradley remains sidelined as he recovers from major knee damage sustained at Arsenal in early January. His energy and aggression at full-back will be missed in a fixture that often turns frantic.
At centre-back, Giovanni Leoni is edging closer to a return to first-team training after being out since last September with an ACL injury, but this weekend comes too soon. He stays in the “nearly there” category, not yet ready to bolster Iraola’s defensive options.
Joe Gomez, one of the most experienced figures in the back line, is also unavailable. A muscle complaint picked up in the opening pre-season friendly against Sunderland has not cleared, leaving Liverpool short of versatility at the back.
Fresh doubts cloud Iraola’s first selection
Beyond the confirmed absentees, several other names sit in the grey area.
Curtis Jones, the midfielder who has attracted transfer interest from Inter, has missed the last two weekends with a hip problem. His status for Sunday remains uncertain, and his absence would remove a valuable link between midfield and attack in a game likely to be decided in those tight central spaces.
Goalkeeper Freddie Woodman is another concern. He missed both friendlies against Como on Sunday after carrying an injury through pre-season. Liverpool will need late confirmation on his fitness before finalising their matchday squad.
Young striker Jayden Danns and midfielder Stefan Bajcetic are both definitely out as they continue to recover from muscle issues, trimming Iraola’s options for rotation and impact from the bench.
Newcastle feel the strain too
The injury story is not one-sided.
Newcastle, already adjusting to a summer of significant departures, also head into the opener with problems of their own. Midfielder Joelinton is ruled out for several weeks with an undisclosed issue, depriving Eddie Howe of one of his most physical and combative presences in the middle of the pitch.
At the back, there are fresh worries. Valentino Livramento and Fabian Schar are both rated doubtful for Liverpool’s visit, questions that hang over a defence likely to be tested by Iraola’s high-tempo approach.
So the season begins with both clubs juggling absences, managing risk, and waiting for medical updates. For Iraola, it means his first Premier League line-up may say as much about who is missing as who makes the cut.
