Liverpool XI vs Man City: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup, injury latest for Premier League

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COMMENTSBradley Barcola could be handed a new role for Liverpool’s Premier League showdown with Manchester City this weekend, amid a double injury blow.

As Liverpool prepare to host Man City on Sunday, head coach Andoni Iraola has revealed Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo will miss out at Anfield because of injury.

“Cody has an ankle injury and it is a matter of him dealing with the pain,” the Reds head coach confirmed in the pre-match press conference. “It was a bad tackle.

“He is doing things individually. Alex has a thigh injury, it is a small injury but a muscle injury.

“They don’t look like long-term. We will be analysing day-to-day.”

With Isak and Gakpo ruled out, along with long-term injury absentee Hugo Ekitike, it means all three of Liverpool’s natural centre-forwards will be unavailable for selection against Man City.

Double injury blow: Cody Gakpo and Alexander IsakPATherefore, Iraola will have to get creative. Youngster Lewis Koumas has been named-dropped by the Reds boss, though a lack of Premier League experience is likely to be a deciding factor.

This leaves the options of using Florian Wirtz as a false nine, or Barcola – far more comfortable on the left-wing – operating through the middle.

“He is a top player for us, he can play in any position up front, probably has played more as a left winger, but has played a little bit as a striker, even more as a right winger, so he can cover three positions up front and is a super valuable player for us,” Iraola said of the £123million summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain.

Alternatively, pushing Wirtz further forward would allow Dominik Szoboszlai to regain his favoured No10 role – perhaps recreating the double false nine tactic adopted by Arne Slot in a 2-0 win over Man City during the 2024/25 title winning campaign.

The good news for Liverpool is that Jeremy Jacquet has shaken off a hamstring strain which forced him to miss France’s final Nations League game, meaning Iraola can keep faith in a back five that has kept three Premier League clean sheets in a row.

Federico Chiesa could make a matchday squad for the first time this season but the Man City game comes too soon for Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni, though the latter is expected to resume full training imminently.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Ngumoha, Szoboszlai, Barcola; Wirtz

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Injured: Isak, Gakpo, Bradley, Leoni, Ekitike

Time and date: 4.30pm BST on Sunday, October 11, 2026