Liverpool vs Fulham: Injury Updates on Gakpo and Barcola
Andoni Iraola is braced for another anxious wait over Cody Gakpo as Liverpool prepare to welcome Alvaro Arbeloa and Fulham to Anfield.
The Dutch forward missed Wednesday night’s win over Atletico Madrid with what Iraola called “adductor issues” and remains a major doubt for the Premier League clash.
Gakpo did not train on Thursday. Liverpool will give him as long as possible, but the clock is ticking.
“We still need to train,” Iraola said in his pre-match press conference. “We train this afternoon, evening… [With] Cody, we will see. He didn’t train yesterday. Today, we will try with him and let’s see if he’s ready for tomorrow or we need to wait for the next one.”
Barcola boost after midweek scare
If Gakpo is a concern, Bradley Barcola looks far more positive.
The winger, who impressed on his full debut against Atletico before going off in the second half, was only suffering from cramps rather than a muscle tear.
“Yes, Barcola was just cramps,” Iraola confirmed. “Obviously he finished tight in the game and then we have to evaluate with how are things today – but there’s no injury. He should be available if everything goes normal.”
That will be a relief for Liverpool after Barcola’s sharp display in the 2-1 victory, where he started alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister behind Alexander Isak.
Defensive options slowly return
There is also cautious optimism over Joe Gomez, who is edging closer to a return after a muscle problem picked up in pre-season. His comeback would offer Iraola welcome depth in a back line that featured Araujo, Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez against Atletico.
Federico Chiesa remains in recovery from his own injury, with Liverpool still careful over his workload.
Long-term absentees Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni are all still sidelined, but there is a sliver of light for one of them.
Ekitike, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, has been pencilled in as an outside candidate for the latter stages of Liverpool’s European group campaign.
“I think it’s difficult with these long-term injuries, I think he’s still far [away],” Iraola admitted. “But we had a meeting with the medical department to analyse when we completed the [squad] list for the European games. There is a reasonable chance that he could help us in the last two games of the group stages.
“But it’s still very early to say. It’s very early because it’s a long-term injury [and] a big part of the rehab [he] is still to meet. But if we decide to put him there, it is because there is a hope and there is a realistic chance that he could help us in January.”
Arbeloa’s Anfield return
On the opposite bench, Alvaro Arbeloa walks back into a stadium that once roared him on.
The Fulham head coach, who played 98 times for Liverpool between 2007 and 2009, is still chasing his first Premier League points in charge of the Cottagers. His side arrive on Merseyside on the back of a chaotic 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace, where Bernd Leno, Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Calvin Bassey and Antonee Robinson formed the back line, with a youthful attacking mix of Luke Harris Charles, Alex Iwobi, Oscar Bobb, King, Palacios and Garcia.
For Arbeloa, this is no nostalgic sightseeing trip.
“It will be so special,” he said. “I went back when I was a Real Madrid player but now it’s my first time as a coach. Anfield will always be a special place for me.
“We have a massive game for us and we have been working really hard this week. We know that we have to improve and we need to adjust some parts of our game.”
Fulham’s injury picture is far clearer than Liverpool’s. Midfielder Tom Cairney, sidelined with a knee problem, is set to be their only absentee.
“We have to wait until the last training session,” Arbeloa added. “But just Tom is currently out injured and we will see after the training session if everyone is ready.”
Form, stakes and a familiar noise
Liverpool come into the game buoyed by that 2-1 victory over Atletico on September 9, a performance built on Alisson’s assurance, Van Dijk’s authority and the promise of new faces like Barcola and Ngumoha.
Fulham, stung by Palace, need a response and a foothold in the table. Arbeloa needs points. Iraola needs his forwards fit. Anfield will not care for either man’s problems once the whistle goes.
If Gakpo makes it, Liverpool gain another weapon. If he doesn’t, the noise will still rise, the lights will still glare, and Arbeloa will discover how unforgiving a “special place” can be when you stand in the away dugout.
