Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has confirmed he will rotate his squad for Saturday's Premier League trip to face an unbeaten Brentford. The Reds face a quick turnaround after their Champions League win in Austria on Wednesday night.
Iraola spoke at a press conference on Thursday, outlining the necessity for changes due to the congested fixture list. "In this period especially, when we are basically playing every three days, almost less than three days, you need more players," he said. "That’s why we changed the team a little bit yesterday. We will need to change again at the weekend."
He acknowledged the physical challenge, noting the team returned late and had disrupted sleep. "It's more difficult," Iraola admitted. "But this is the challenge of playing. It is almost a constant this season so we have to adapt."
Injury doubts for Liverpool
Several key Liverpool players remain fitness concerns ahead of the match at the Gtech Community Stadium. Forward Cody Gakpo has missed the last two matches with an injury picked up on international duty, while striker Alexander Isak and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai also returned from the break with issues.
"It's early for us to say; we have to train tomorrow," Iraola said when asked about their availability. "They were not ready, so we have to wait and see." He left the door open for a possible return but stressed the need for caution. Defender Hugo Ekitike remains out with a long-term problem.
Recovery for young defender Giovanni Leoni has also been slower than hoped. "The plan was to train in the international break but it will be the next one, so we have lost one month of progress," Iraola explained. "It was a bad injury, a lot of areas around the knee. That process has to be very careful."
Brentford's strong form
Iraola is well aware of the test posed by a Brentford side sitting fourth in the Premier League with 10 points from six games. The Bees are unbeaten this campaign, with their last result a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.
"They have good players, they understand what they are trying to do," said the Liverpool boss. "They are runners and a good team." Brentford's recent standings position and resilient form, which includes a 3-0 win over Chelsea, means they will approach the game with confidence.
Liverpool's squad options
With changes inevitable, Iraola praised the contributions of several squad players who featured in midweek. Jeremie Frimpong played the full 90 minutes, while young forwards Lewis Koumas and Trey Nyoni earned praise for their performances. Bradley Barcola scored a hat-trick against LASK.
"He deserves the minutes," Iraola said of Koumas. "We are using him more because Isak is injured but if I wasn't comfortable then I have other options." He described Nyoni as "very mature" and "tactically smart".
The manager emphasised that every player must be ready. "We need everyone, we will need everyone in one moment or the other," he stated. The final decisions will be made after assessing the squad in training on Friday. Liverpool's upcoming fixtures include another match against Villarreal just three days after facing Brentford.
Brentford, who have scored 12 goals this season, will look to extend their unbeaten run against a rotated Liverpool side. The match kicks off at 15:00 on Saturday.
More detail at sports.yahoo.com
