Premier League47 min ago1 minute read

Liverpool Injury Crisis Deepens Ahead of Manchester City Clash

Liverpool face a defensive and attacking injury crisis ahead of their major clash with Manchester City.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

Jacquet hamstring issue adds to defensive worries

Liverpool face a nervous wait over the fitness of defender Jeremy Jacquet. The centre-back was left out of France's squad for their 4-1 Nations League win against Belgium on Monday. Jacquet had played in France's previous two matches, which were his first appearances for the senior national team.

The French Football Federation released a statement saying the 21-year-old has a strain to his left hamstring. France manager Zinedine Zidane also spoke about the issue, confirming that Jacquet was slightly injured.

Iraola short of options in attack and defence

This is a major concern for Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola. Jacquet has been a key player this season, featuring in all seven matches and starting six of them alongside Virgil van Dijk in central defence. If Jacquet cannot play, Iraola will have to rely on Joe Gomez or Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo.

The defensive worry is not the only issue for Liverpool. Striker Alexander Isak was sent home early by Sweden due to a minor thigh problem. Fellow forward Cody Gakpo is also a doubt after injuring his ankle while playing for the Netherlands.

Tactical changes needed for City match

These injuries leave Iraola short of attacking options for the massive game against Manchester City. Summer signing Bradley Barcola might have to play as a central striker, even though he prefers to play on the wing. Iraola could also push Florian Wirtz further forward from his usual number 10 role.

Manchester City will arrive for this game under a cloud of their own. This will be their first match since an independent commission found the club guilty of the vast majority of charges regarding financial breaches.

What it means for the next game

Liverpool vs Manchester City (Premier League, Sun, 11 Oct): Liverpool win 35%, draw 26%, Manchester City win 39%; expected goals 1.44 to 1.53. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.

LASK Linz vs Liverpool (Champions League, Wed, 14 Oct): LASK Linz win 21%, draw 21%, Liverpool win 58%; expected goals 1.27 to 2.22. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.