Liverpool vs Man City: Iraola faces injury crisis and Wirtz dilemma for Anfield statement game
Andoni Iraola's Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday with the manager battling injuries to Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Jeremy Jacquet. The Basque coach also faces mounting pressure over £116m signing Florian Wirtz, who was heavily criticised after a poor display at Bournemouth.
- Fixture: Liverpool vs Manchester City, Premier League
- Venue: Anfield
- Date: Sunday
- Injuries: Alexander Isak (thigh), Cody Gakpo (ankle), Jeremy Jacquet (hamstring) all returned early from international duty
- At stake: Iraola seeks first home league win and statement result against the league leaders
- Wirtz pressure: £116m signing criticised by Jamie Carragher after Bournemouth performance
Injury and availability
Iraola confirmed the triple blow ahead of Sunday's match. "I think Alex Isak and Cody Gakpo both have had to leave the national teams with injuries," he told beIN SPORTS. "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."
Jeremy Jacquet also returned early to the AXA Training Centre with a hamstring problem. The manager will provide a further update at his pre-match press conference on Friday, but it is highly unlikely all three will feature at Anfield.
The line-up decisions facing Iraola
With Jacquet out, Iraola must reshuffle his defence. Joe Gomez could make a rare start, with Ronald Araujo shifting across to partner Virgil van Dijk in the heart of defence, or vice-versa. Jeremie Frimpong may also get the nod at right-back.
In attack, the absence of Gakpo and Isak leaves a significant void. Isak has scored four Premier League goals already this season, and his understanding with Gakpo has been a feature of Liverpool's play. Lewis Koumas, 21, could deputise for Isak in the No 9 role, with Hugo Ekitike still months away from recovering from his ruptured Achilles.
What was said
"That was one of the poorest I've ever seen him in a Liverpool shirt."
"I think going forward Iraola's got a decision to make here. Wirtz wouldn't be in my Liverpool team. Manchester City at home, for me, he can't be in the team."
"I thought this Bournemouth game was a big game for Wirtz. Because if he doesn't produce [against Bournemouth], he's then going to have a three-week break. By the time we come back, we're into October. Before you know it, it'll be Christmas in six to eight weeks, or it'll feel like we're getting to Christmas. He has to do something!"
"Liverpool beat off Bayern Munich and Man City to sign Wirtz, he was probably one of the most coveted No 10s in world football at the time and Liverpool have attracted him."
"So he does not become a bad No 10 overnight, I just think there are some basics there that will need to be sorted - the physicality of the Premier League, the ability to make decisions far quicker than he has ever had to do and what is his best role within that Liverpool side?"
"I'm convinced Iraola will have everything within what they do to find the best in him and that is what he has done historically, he has always found the right role for players."
"We still have to get ready because the schedule that we have now, it's very difficult. We are playing against top-four teams and then in between Champions League and then in between Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and everything in two, three days."
"So we have to get ready because this next month, after this break, it's going be very demanding for us."
"He [Iraola] is still trying to strive for that ideal balance in that Liverpool midfield at times."
"But with those three clean sheets in the Premier League in the last three games, we are seeing a team that defends the box a lot better and when they get the ball, they get it forward a lot quicker and creating chances as well, which bodes well for the future."
"I do not think we are too far away from seeing that more regular high-octane football under him."
What was said: analysis
Carragher's assessment of Wirtz is blunt: the German playmaker cannot start against City on current form. With Gakpo and Isak injured, however, Iraola may have little choice but to rely on Wirtz and £100m attacker Bradley Barcola to deliver. McAdam offers a more optimistic view, pointing to Wirtz's pedigree and Iraola's track record of finding the right role for players. The coming weeks will test both perspectives.
The numbers
- Wirtz transfer fee: £116m
- Isak Premier League goals this season: 4
- Liverpool sprints in opening five games: 636 (most in Premier League)
- Distance covered: 551.36km (bottom in Premier League)
- Clean sheets: Three consecutive in the Premier League
- Koumas age: 21
- Iraola age: 44
Analysis: Why Iraola must gamble on Wirtz despite Carragher's warning
With Isak and Gakpo sidelined, Liverpool's attacking depth is stretched to breaking point. Ekitike remains months away from returning, leaving 21-year-old Lewis Koumas as the only recognised No 9 option. That forces Iraola to lean heavily on Wirtz and Barcola, the two other £100m attackers in the squad. Carragher argues Wirtz should be dropped for this match, but without Gakpo and Isak, the German becomes almost undroppable by default.
Defensively, the loss of Jacquet means Iraola must reconfigure his back line. Joe Gomez is the most likely replacement, with Araujo moving inside to partner Van Dijk. That partnership lacks pace against City's forwards, but Gomez's experience could steady a defence that has kept three straight clean sheets. Frimpong at right-back would add attacking thrust but may leave gaps against City's wide players.
In midfield, Iraola has settled on a two-man screen of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Ryan Gravenberch dropping out. That duo has helped Liverpool keep three consecutive clean sheets for the first time since the start of their 2024/25 title-winning campaign. The balance is improving, but City's midfield will provide the sternest test yet. The schedule — seven games in three competitions over three weeks, including trips to Brentford and home games with Brighton and Arsenal — means rotation is inevitable, and Iraola must manage workloads carefully.
Talking points
- Should Iraola drop Wirtz for the City game, as Carragher demands, or is the German undroppable given the injuries to Isak and Gakpo?
- Is Joe Gomez the right choice to replace Jacquet, or should Frimpong start at right-back and Araujo stay in the centre?
- Can Lewis Koumas, 21, lead the line against the league leaders, or does Iraola need a different tactical approach?
- Will Liverpool's three-game clean sheet streak survive against City's attack, or will the defensive reshuffle expose Van Dijk?
What happens next
Liverpool face Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, seeking a first home league win under Iraola and a statement result against the league leaders. Three points would kick-start his reign and ease pressure on Wirtz. Defeat would leave Liverpool playing catch-up in the title race and intensify scrutiny on the manager's team selection and tactical approach.
Frequently asked questions
Will Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo be fit for Liverpool vs Man City?
Both players returned early from international duty with injuries. Iraola said both are currently injured and it is a matter of whether they recover in time. He will provide a further update on Friday.
Is Florian Wirtz starting for Liverpool against Man City?
Jamie Carragher believes Wirtz should not start, calling his Bournemouth performance one of the poorest he has seen. However, with Isak and Gakpo injured, Iraola may have little choice but to select him.
Who could replace Jeremy Jacquet in Liverpool's defence?
Joe Gomez could make a rare start, with Ronald Araujo moving to partner Virgil van Dijk, or Jeremie Frimpong could play at right-back. Iraola will confirm his line-up before kick-off.
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