Liverpool’s Premier League campaign faces a demanding test at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, October 17, 2026, with manager Andoni Iraola managing a squad affected by injuries, suspension, and a congested fixture schedule. Liverpool travel to west London to face an unbeaten Brentford side sitting fourth in the table, making the fixture a significant early-season examination.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak, and Cody Gakpo were all major fitness doubts ahead of kickoff. The trio missed Liverpool’s previous two matches after sustaining injuries during the September and October international window—Szoboszlai with a hamstring problem, Isak with a thigh issue, and Gakpo with an ankle complaint. Iraola had left the door open for their return, saying it was too early to make a final call before the last training session.
Their potential availability is especially important because Liverpool are already without several longer-term absentees. Hugo Ekitike remains sidelined with an Achilles injury, Conor Bradley is recovering from a significant knee injury, and Giovanni Leoni is not expected to return to training until after the November international break following an ACL injury.
Ryan Gravenberch is also unavailable after receiving a one-match suspension following his red card against Manchester City. His absence forces Iraola to reshape the midfield, with Alexis Mac Allister expected to come back into the side, while Trey Nyoni and Victor Muñoz provide additional rotation options after featuring in Liverpool’s recent 6-3 win at LASK.
Iraola had indicated that he would rotate his starting XI because of the relentless schedule, and Liverpool’s expected lineup reflected that approach. Alisson was set to continue in goal behind Ronald Araujo, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez. In midfield, Mac Allister was likely to partner Szoboszlai if the Hungarian passed his fitness assessment, while Florian Wirtz retained a creative role.
If Szoboszlai and Isak were fit to start, they were expected to replace Lewis Koumas and Trey Nyoni from the side that beat LASK. Isak would then lead the attack, with Victor Muñoz and Cody Gakpo—should he be involved—offering width and attacking depth. Gakpo was considered more likely to begin among the substitutes given the timing of his recovery.
Brentford enter the match unbeaten and in fourth place, giving Liverpool little margin for error. Iraola’s challenge is to balance rotation and recovery with the need for a cohesive performance, particularly with Gravenberch suspended and several defenders still unavailable.
For Liverpool, the trip to Brentford is both an opportunity to maintain momentum and a test of squad depth. Whether Szoboszlai, Isak, and Gakpo can contribute—even from the bench—could shape Iraola’s options not only for this match but for the demanding weeks ahead.
