Liverpool Sweat Over Isak and Gakpo Injuries Before Busy October
Liverpool have returned from the international break with concerns over two of their most productive attackers, after Alexander Isak withdrew from Sweden duty with a minor thigh problem and Cody Gakpo suffered an ankle injury while representing the Netherlands.
Isak was unavailable for Sweden’s 3-1 win against Poland on Monday, with head coach Graham Potter conceding there is no direct replacement for the Liverpool striker. Potter said Sweden would not expect any incoming player to replicate Isak, but instead to offer their own qualities.
The 27-year-old’s absence comes at an awkward point for Liverpool. He has scored five goals across club and international football this season, including four in the Premier League, and Liverpool face nine matches in 29 days once domestic action resumes. Andoni Iraola’s side are due to host Manchester City in the league on Oct. 11.
Isak has rebuilt his place in Liverpool’s attack
Isak arrived from Newcastle United for a British-record £125 million in the summer of 2025, but his first campaign at Anfield was disrupted by form and fitness issues. A leg fracture left him on the sidelines for a considerable period, and he started only eight Premier League games during 2025-26.
His output already represents a sharp improvement. Isak scored three league goals last season; he has four after five league starts this term. He has also completed 90 minutes three times, having not managed a single full league match in the previous campaign.
His latest Liverpool goal settled the 1-0 away victory over AFC Bournemouth on Sept. 20. Isak ran towards the travelling support at the Vitality Stadium in celebration and was booked, but the reaction underlined the significance of the moment after his difficult first year at the club.
His involvement beyond the goals has increased too. Isak recorded 179 touches in 14 league appearances last season, compared with 120 in only five outings this time around. Of those touches, 23 have come in the opposition penalty area; he had 30 in the box throughout the whole of 2025-26.
The striker has become a more prominent figure around the club, while Liverpool supporters have increasingly adopted an “Isak’s a Red” chant first heard during the away match at his former club Newcastle last month.
Iraola has insisted that Isak’s scoring figures should follow if the forward remains fit and contributes fully to the team’s overall game. After Isak’s brace against Ipswich Town earlier this month, the Liverpool manager said his demands would extend beyond goals, with the forward expected to support the collective work needed for the side to play well.
Iraola’s record of improving attacking players was a major reason behind Liverpool appointing him to succeed Arne Slot in the summer. The hope is that the manager’s demanding approach can help Isak sustain the level he has reached in the opening weeks of the campaign.
Peter Wennberg, who coached Isak at AIK, has previously described the striker’s determination to take ownership of his development. Wennberg recalled challenging a teenage Isak over his limited interaction with coaches at the training ground. At the following session, Isak reportedly approached the staff and asked what they had planned for him that day.
Gakpo’s injury adds to Iraola’s selection problem
The situation became more difficult after Gakpo was forced off during the Netherlands’ match against Serbia on Sunday. The forward had scored a late equaliser against Jürgen Klopp’s Germany the previous week, but did not complete the Serbia fixture after a heavy challenge from midfielder Sasa Lukic.
Netherlands coach Xavi said immediately afterwards that the issue concerned Gakpo’s ankle and that further information would follow after assessment. Liverpool have not yet confirmed the severity of the problem, though there is concern that the 27-year-old could be unavailable for a number of weeks.
Gakpo has made an impressive start to the season despite coming close to a move to Manchester City late in the transfer window. He has supplied two goals and four assists in six appearances in all competitions, while three of his Premier League assists have set up Isak.
Isak recently praised his teammate’s contribution, noting that Gakpo had assisted each of his league goals this season and describing the Netherlands international as a humble player whose decision to remain had benefited the squad.
Isak and Gakpo have scored five of Liverpool’s seven Premier League goals between them. Their partnership has therefore become central to Liverpool’s early-season attack, and the prospect of losing either player would place greater responsibility on the remaining forwards.
Barcola and Wirtz could be required
Bradley Barcola may be asked to take on a larger role if Liverpool are without their two established attackers. The France international joined from Paris Saint-Germain in an initial £106 million deal and has been working towards full fitness after arriving late in the window.
Víctor Muñoz, signed from Osasuna, has shown encouraging signs but is still adapting to Premier League football. Eighteen-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha is yet to register either a goal or an assist this season.
Florian Wirtz is another possible solution. The No. 10 has faced criticism after a sequence of subdued displays, but could be used further forward as a false No. 9 should Iraola need another source of movement and creativity in the final third.
Before the break, Iraola said Liverpool had improved from their opening matches but still had further progress to make. He highlighted the demanding sequence ahead, with matches against top-four opposition, Champions League commitments and a Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea all arriving in quick succession.
Liverpool’s ability to navigate that run may depend heavily on the results of the assessments now awaiting Isak and Gakpo. Both have started the season strongly; their recoveries have become an immediate priority before the visit of Manchester City.
