Liverpool vs. Man City: Andoni Iraola drops Bradley Barcola hint as Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo blows confirmed

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed that both Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak will miss Sunday's Premier League blockbuster against Manchester City due to injury.

The Reds saw Isak withdraw from the Sweden squad during the international break owing to a thigh injury, albeit one that national team boss Graham Potter did not think was overly serious.

Meanwhile, Gakpo hurt his ankle in the Netherlands' 2-1 Nations League win over Serbia on September 27, also forcing him to prematurely end his time with his compatriots.

Gakpo and Isak both missed training on Thursday, suggesting that they would both be unavailable for the visit of Enzo Maresca's men, and Iraola confirmed the worst in his pre-game press conference.

"Alex Isak and Cody Gakpo will not play the game. They are not ready," Iraola told the media, as quoted by liverpoolfc.com. "Unfortunately for us, both got injuries during the international break. As a club manager, you are always waiting until the games end, that the doctor doesn't call you and then gives you bad news.

"Cody has an ankle injury. He has had some before in his career and it's a matter of him dealing with the pain because when you twist your ankle... it was a really bad tackle, I think.

"He is doing things individually but [he is] not ready for Sunday. And Alex has a thigh injury. It's a small injury but it's a muscle injury. The same [as Gakpo], whenever he feels ready. They both don't look like long-term – we will be analysing day to day. But they are not going to arrive on Sunday."

Who will start up front for Liverpool against Man City?

Not only are Isak and Gakpo stricken, but Iraola is yet to utilise Hugo Ekitike, due to the serious Achilles injury that the Frenchman sustained in last year's Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

No Isak, no Gakpo and no Ekitike means that Iraola's next best thing in the number nine role is 21-year-old Lewis Koumas, who has played just six times for the senior Liverpool team, five of those appearances coming in the current campaign.

Iraola affirmed that the Welshman does have the club's trust, but he also hinted that new signing Bradley Barcola could be deployed through the middle of the attack instead.

"I don't think he is in a bad moment. With wingers, if they don't score, they haven't played well (the opinion), but we have to see the game as whole. I want him to be there [scoring the chances]. He has played as a left winger and also as a striker, so he can cover three positions up front," Iraola said on Barcola.

Barcola starting up front would open the door for Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha to start out wide, although Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai are alternative options on the right and left wing.

Liverpool receive double injury boost for Man City contest

Despite losing both Isak and Gakpo, Iraola has confirmed that Jeremy Jacquet will be fit to start at centre-back, despite suffering a scare while on duty with France.

"Yeah, he's fit, he's ready to go," Iraola added. "I think he didn't play with the national team [in the] last game because of protection. But he should be fine. We still need to train tomorrow but he's fine, yes."

Furthermore, Federico Chiesa - another alternative at centre-forward - has resumed full training following a back injury, although the Italian is highly unlikely to be involved owing to his lack of match fitness.