Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola no fit give exact time when Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai go return from injury. But he talk say the trio ‘not far off’ from fitness. The Reds boss also say he trust Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz to deliver ‘100%’ while the injured men dey out.
Liverpool dey prepare to face LASK in Austria for Champions League on Wednesday night. The match go happen for Linz. BBC Sport website go carry live text updates and radio commentary. Tuesday opening matches remain 45 minutes from kick-off, while Arsenal and Manchester United both dey in action from 20:00 BST. Fans fit stick with BBC Sport website for those games.
Iraola speak after he land with his squad in Austria. He later go hold open training session with Liverpool team before Wednesday game against LASK for Linz. Defender Milos Kerkez also yarn about Bradley Barcola. Kerkez say Barcola arrive, play few games, and need small more time, just like everybody wey arrive club like Liverpool.
‘He be real talent, he get great skills, he can help us score goals going forward,’ Kerkez talk. ‘We suppose talk more and build that connection more, that go help us get better combinations down the line. I think we dey good way and I hope e go better. You have to help new players off the pitch and get to know him better and talk outside pitch. On pitch we have to communicate plenty.’
On freshness and limited training time, Iraola explain say: ‘We no get plenty time to train. We have to prepare with some videos, tactics and ball outside small, but we have to prioritise freshness of players. Especially playing four games in 10 days, we want keep legs in game. For cases like Bradley, the last one to arrive, the more he plays, the more connections with those around him and the better he go become.’
Iraola also answer whether other players go step up in absence of Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai after Sunday 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester City. He talk: ‘We go see. Na matter of us because we lost at the end, we dey try find why. But I like team well the other day. Not when we dey with 10. You suppose play much better at 10, but before that I like spirit, work-rate, attitude. I like offensive players.’
On changing team for Champions League, coach talk: ‘Na game we want win and we want start this competition. We get first win and we want second one. E always difficult to win this competition because there be some niggles, so e go hard to get same starting 11 as last time.’
More from Iraola on Barcola and Wirtz: ‘Responsibilities same as other senior players for squad. Performances exactly same. Sometimes we have to focus not just on numbers. I happy with plenty things the other day with Bradley. We get good situations, we no finish them. But him and Florian na players I trust 100%.’
Iraola also yarn on missing Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai and hope say Wirtz and Barcola go step up. ‘I think that true, Cody, Alex and Dom na top scorers this season because dem play more this season and now we no get them, so we need other players to give us those numbers. We trust say we get players to play those positions. The injuries na because of national teams and some na injuries from last game. Na about adapting to circumstances. Bradley and Florian don get good games, bad games this season but we know their level and we sure dem go give us good performances.’
On the three wey miss selection this week due to injury, Iraola say: ‘Dem no far, but e difficult to tell you right now. But I no know when dem go ready.’ The Liverpool boss also say he know level of Barcola and Wirtz and although dem don get good and bad games this season, he sure dem go give good performances and he trust them 100%.
Liverpool defender Milos Kerkez still get hope say team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai fit play at Brentford for Premier League on Saturday. ‘He dey recover. I mean, I know Dom, how e be, he no like to be out for long and he want play every game, so knowing him I think he would like play Saturday.’
Kerkez also speak on Iraola impact at Liverpool and changes. ‘The style we dey play right now, I think we dey run plenty, we dey play more aggressively, more front-footed and all players dey buy into his philosophy. Of course, there still be way to go, way to improve, but I think we dey on right track.’
On team morale after Sunday 3-0 defeat, Kerkez talk: ‘We really disappointed after game. We compete very well for first 60 minutes and after that, what happen happen. E frustrating but we know we get this game tomorrow, so next day we focus on recovery and today also doing best things so we 100% tomorrow.’
Shortly after arriving in Austrian city of Linz on Tuesday, Reds complete workout at Raiffeisen Arena, the venue for league-phase encounter. Squad preparations dey inside images.
