Andoni Iraola confirms Bradley Barcola is fit for Brighton but Dominik Szoboszlai is out
Andoni Iraola has confirmed Bradley Barcola is available for Liverpool's Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, but Dominik Szoboszlai will miss out again and Victor Munoz is a doubt.
Barcola came on as a second-half substitute in the midweek Champions League win over Villarreal but sat out first-team training on Thursday.
The 23-year-old had started the first three games since Liverpool returned from the international break, and the club took caution not to overload him physically as he adapts to a new league after a limited pre-season.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Iraola insisted there was no cause for concern.
"Bradley has trained today normally. He's fine with no problem. It was just a matter of sometimes you have to deal with the loads and we consider sometimes they have to stay inside. But he's fine."
The news is less positive on Munoz. The Spain international scored the equaliser in Liverpool's 2-1 win at Brentford last Saturday, but took a knock in the first half of that game and missed the Villarreal match.
"Victor, he has the knock he received against Brentford [in the] first half. He could finish the game very well," Iraola said.
"But he's dealing with some pain since then and it was too early the other day against Villarreal. I don't know if he's going to arrive. I think it's going to be difficult but I really don't know."
Szoboszlai was forced off in the first half at Brentford with a recurrence of the hamstring injury he picked up during the international break.
That problem had already ruled him out of games against Manchester City and LASK, and he also sat out the win over Villarreal.
Iraola said the Hungarian is close to a return, but Liverpool will take extra care after his setback in west London.
"Dom is going to be out this weekend. I don't think he's far but he hasn't trained with the group still. And also considering the other day that we started him and he had to go out, we will probably take one or two days more than we would last week. He's in a good place. Dom is already training outside alone and is going to train with the group, but he's not ready for this one."
There is some relief in midfield, though. Ryan Gravenberch returns on Sunday after serving a one-game Premier League suspension, having missed the Brentford win following his sending-off against Manchester City.
