Injuries Cement Rotation for League Cup Tie Against Chelsea
· Yahoo Sports
Andoni Iraola has provided no further updates on the seriousness of Florian Wirtz’s ankle injury after the issue saw him leave the pitch early against Brighton. In post-match interviews the Liverpool boss told the assembled press that although tests would certainly be done, a long absence did not appear to be liked.
“Unfortunately, he had to leave the pitch with a small twist of the ankle,” Iraola said. “It doesn’t look very big but we are playing every three days so we need to see where he is.”
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Wirtz himself downplayed the issue after the match, telling the Liverpool Echo that he wasn’t all that worried.
“I think it should be all right. It’s not too bad,” he told the press. “I don’t know much yet. We have to check it but it won’t be long.”
He did suggest this was not a brand new injury, however, but was rather a continued issue.
“I’ve been twisting my ankle a bit over the last few weeks,” he continued. “I need to get that sorted out somehow. Then I think I’ll be back for the next game.”
These estimates, which have not yet been updated in the pre-Chelsea news cycle, suggest Wirtz will be out of contention for the EFL Cup game Wednesday but could be in the squad to face Arsenal on November 1st. Given the strategy and preparations involved, it’s possible we might not learn more until the last minute, with the Liverpool camp not wanting to give Mikel Arteta’s staff more time to prepare should a change of approach be needed in the Premier League match this weekend.
Arsenal are away to Fleetwood Town on Tuesday for their EFL Cup tie, a matchup that should allow for more rotation than Liverpool’s Premier League opposition will, particularly given the immense depth of Chelsea’s squad.
In terms of Liverpool’s senior squad, Dominik Szoboszlai is also unlikely to be available to face Chelsea given the recurrence of his injury, and he, too, will likely aim for a return against Arsenal at the weekend. Rotation in the Liverpool midfield and attack is thus all but certain, with a further lack of senior options on the bench to call on late.
Víctor Muñoz, who has been sidelined with an unspecified knock that has been deemed not so serious might return for some minutes against Chelsea. His initial injury came against Brentford, but did not require his removal from the pitch. It appears, therefore, that his fitness is being treated with caution.
Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined, with late November to late December the estimates provided for this group, many of whom are returning from serious injuries.