Injury Update: Gakpo Doubtful for Liverpool vs Fulham

Andoni Iraola is braced for another anxious wait on Cody Gakpo as Liverpool prepare to welcome a familiar face back to Anfield in Alvaro Arbeloa – but this time in the opposition dugout.

Gakpo a doubt, Barcola ready to go

Gakpo missed Wednesday night’s win over Atletico Madrid with what Iraola described as “adductor issues”, and the forward remains a major doubt for the clash with Arbeloa’s Fulham.

“[With] Cody, we will see. He didn’t train yesterday,” Iraola said at his pre-match press conference. “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.”

The news is brighter on Bradley Barcola. The winger, who impressed on his full debut against Atletico before being forced off in the second half, is expected to be available.

“Yes, Barcola was just cramps,” Iraola explained. “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.”

Liverpool will complete their final training session on Friday evening before Iraola makes a definitive call, but the early indication is that Barcola will keep his place after a lively European bow.

Injury picture slowly clears for Liverpool

There is cautious optimism over Joe Gomez as well. The defender is closing in on a return from the muscle problem that has sidelined him since pre-season, offering Iraola more depth at the back as the schedule begins to thicken.

Federico Chiesa remains on his own recovery path and is not yet ready to return, while a trio of long-term absentees continues to cast a shadow over the squad.

• Conor Bradley
• Hugo Ekitike
• Giovanni Leoni

are all still out, with Ekitike’s situation in particular demanding patience after his ruptured Achilles tendon.

“I think it’s difficult with these long-term injuries, I think he’s still far [away],” Iraola admitted. Yet there is a glimmer of hope.

Liverpool have left the door open for Ekitike in their European planning. “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.”

For now, Iraola must lean on those available, with Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Atletico – featuring Alisson, Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Barcola, Wirtz, Ngumoha and Isak – offering a template for intensity and control at Anfield.

Arbeloa’s emotional return

On the opposite bench, Arbeloa arrives still searching for his first Premier League points as Fulham head coach, but with a deep emotional connection to the stadium he is walking back into.

The Spaniard played 98 times for Liverpool between 2007 and 2009, and he did not hide what this return means.

“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 arrive on Merseyside on the back of a 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace – a chaotic contest that featured Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Charles, Iwobi, Bobb, King, Palacios and Garcia – and Arbeloa knows they cannot afford similar looseness against a Liverpool side that punished Atletico with ruthless spells of pressure.

Fulham near full strength

Team news offers Arbeloa at least one clear positive. Barring late setbacks, Fulham should travel close to full strength.

Tom Cairney, sidelined with a knee injury, is expected to be their only absentee.

“We have to wait until the last training session,” Arbeloa said. “But just Tom [is currently out injured] and we will see after the training session if everyone is ready.”

It leaves the Fulham boss with decisions rather than dilemmas: stick with the side that pushed Palace but fell short, or tweak his structure for a stadium that can suffocate visiting teams in 10 frenzied minutes.

Anfield will provide the noise. The question now is whether Iraola’s patched-up attack and Arbeloa’s almost full-strength Fulham can match the occasion.