The latest on Bradley Barcola, Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Victor Munoz and Liverpool’s longer-term absentees.
Four Liverpool players were absent from team training on Thursday as the Reds continued preparations for Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Brighton. Victor Munoz, Jeremie Frimpong, Dominik Szoboszlai and Bradley Barcola were not seen with the main group, although there appear to be no fresh injury concerns.
Bradley Barcola on an individual programme
Barcola came off the bench in Liverpool’s 4-3 victory over Villarreal on Tuesday night, replacing Rio Ngumoha for the final 15 minutes. He was absent from the main training group on Thursday, but Vinny O’Connor reported that the forward was completing an individual session to manage his workload.
With Liverpool not in action until Sunday afternoon, the expectation is that Barcola could still be available for the matchday squad. Careful workload management would be understandable after the summer arrival missed pre-season amid his transfer and World Cup commitments.
Szoboszlai and Frimpong facing spells out
Liverpool suffered a double injury blow away to Brentford last weekend. Dominik Szoboszlai lasted only 32 minutes on his return from a hamstring problem sustained after international duty. Andoni Iraola said it was “not another injury” and that the midfielder was “still not healed”. Reports suggest the Hungary captain could miss between one and three matches.
Jeremie Frimpong was introduced at half-time for Ronald Araujo but played only seven minutes before suffering a hamstring injury of his own. The setback came after he completed 90 minutes against LASK, scoring once and providing two assists. Iraola later admitted that Frimpong had finished that match with cramp.
Given that it was only Frimpong’s third start of the season, his involvement at Brentford has prompted questions over whether he was asked to return too soon. He is now expected to be sidelined for up to four weeks, making a return after the international break the most likely scenario.
Liverpool taking no risks with Victor Munoz
Munoz was also absent from training and has not been seen since the win at Brentford. He missed Tuesday’s victory over Villarreal with a knee knock, with Iraola stressing that Liverpool must be “really careful” with the player. That points towards a precautionary approach rather than a long-term absence.
Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike closing in
Lewis Steele also provided an update on two of Liverpool’s longer-term absentees. Conor Bradley is in the final stages of his recovery from the serious knee injury he suffered away to Arsenal last season. He is expected to rejoin training in the near future, although Liverpool will ease him back carefully.
Hugo Ekitike is also progressing, but is understood to be slightly behind Bradley in his rehabilitation. The striker ruptured his Achilles tendon against Paris Saint-Germain in April. His inclusion in Liverpool’s Champions League squad suggests the club remain hopeful that he can feature during the latter stages of the league phase.
For now, Liverpool’s immediate focus is Brighton. Barcola appears the likeliest of Thursday’s four training absentees to be available, while the club will continue to assess Munoz and avoid taking unnecessary risks with Szoboszlai and Frimpong.
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