Liverpool Injury Concerns Mount Before Como as Andoni Iraola Weighs Jeremy Jacquet Call
Liverpool go into their final pre-season fixtures against Como with a familiar problem, too few fit centre-backs and too many questions. Andoni Iraola has barely had time to settle into the job and already the defensive department looks stretched.
The immediate issue is Jeremy Jacquet. The £60million summer signing from Rennes has yet to feature in pre-season after an unspecified problem, having already seen last season disrupted by a shoulder injury. He missed the 3-2 defeat to Monaco, but he is now back in team training. That matters, because right now Liverpool need bodies as much as they need quality.
Iraola is clearly not interested in taking reckless risks with a player signed to strengthen the back line for the long haul. He has already moved to cover the shortage by bringing Ronald Araujo in on loan from Barcelona. That tells you everything. Liverpool are short, and they know it.
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Jeremy Jacquet Fitness Leaves Liverpool Short at Centre-Back
Virgil van Dijk has effectively been the only fully fit senior centre-back available. Joe Gomez then limped off during the 4-2 win over Sunderland, with Ifeanyi Ndukwe stepping in, and that muscle issue now looks likely to disrupt the start of his season. Giovanni Leoni remains on the comeback trail after the ACL injury he suffered on debut in the Carabao Cup a year ago.
Add in Ibrahima Konate’s exit after his contract expired, followed by his move to Real Madrid, and the picture becomes plain enough. Liverpool are understocked in a key area days before the serious football starts.
Youngsters such as Ndukwe and Talla Ndiaye have already featured in pre-season, while Luke Chambers has also been used. Iraola may not have wanted this much academy involvement this early, but circumstances do not always ask permission.
Andoni Iraola Balances Risk Before Como Friendlies
There are concerns beyond defence too. Curtis Jones has been managing a hip issue and returned to training after missing the Monaco game. Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz are also being monitored after their nations reached the World Cup final, leaving their conditioning under scrutiny.
Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike remain longer-term absentees with knee and Achilles injuries respectively, while Jayden Danns is also unavailable. The better news is that Alisson and van Dijk both returned against Monaco, restoring at least some senior stability.
The likely question for Iraola is simple, does he field something close to his strongest side on Sunday, or does he continue spreading the minutes across two games? With the Premier League opener looming, the answer matters.
Predicted Liverpool XI for Como at Anfield
The working shape looks like a 4-2-3-1, with Alisson in goal, Jeremie Frimpong, Jacquet, van Dijk and Milos Kerkez across the back, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch in midfield, then Rio Ngumoha, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo behind Alexander Isak.
If Jacquet is deemed ready, Liverpool at least regain some order. If not, the shortage remains real, and pre-season ends with the same concern it began with, depth in central defence.