Liverpool and Newcastle Face Injury Challenges Ahead of Premier League Opener
Liverpool and Newcastle head into their Premier League opener at St James’ Park already counting the cost of an early injury list, with both new managers forced into reshuffles before a ball is kicked.
Iraola’s Liverpool already stretched
Andoni Iraola’s first league game in charge of Liverpool comes without a full deck to play with. The Spaniard has barely had a glimpse of his complete squad since arriving, and that theme continues into Sunday.
Several long-term absentees remain firmly on the sidelines. Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni are all still out after serious problems suffered last season, leaving sizeable gaps in Iraola’s options.
Bradley is not expected to return until 2027, underlining the severity of his setback. Ekitike faces months more recovery work before he can be considered again. Leoni is ahead of both on the road back but still faces the prospect of close to a year out, having damaged his ACL last September.
Joe Gomez adds to the frustration. The defender is not due back until next month after a muscle injury. Iraola had already admitted in pre-season that any hope of Gomez featuring in the opener was unrealistic, calling it “impossible” for him to be ready in time.
One boost comes in the shape of Alexander Isak. His name has hovered over team news discussions all summer after the issues that troubled him last season, but Iraola is convinced the striker is in a strong place physically and mentally. Crucially, he has travelled with the squad.
“Right now I think he is in a very good place, he's been training every day,” Iraola said in his press conference. “He hasn't missed a training session, he's adding more and more minutes in every friendly game.
“I think that he already played a very good World Cup in terms of availability, fitness level. I want to keep him there as much as we can because we know his level and if we can keep him there, he will score the goals, he will give us a lot of things.”
For a new manager trying to stamp his identity on Liverpool from day one, keeping Isak on the pitch could be the difference between a steady start and an explosive one.
Jaissle’s Newcastle also patched up
On the opposite bench, Matthias Jaissle begins his Premier League career with his own problems to solve.
Newcastle have already seen key midfielders Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes depart this summer. Now Joelinton is ruled out as well, stripping more power and presence from the middle of the pitch just when Jaissle could use it most.
“For sure out for a couple of weeks but I don't want to go too much in detail as there will always be specialists involved,” Jaissle said. “The medical department is aware of it, we have top staff when it comes to that and I am really confident he will be back as soon as possible.”
The setbacks do not end there. Tino Livramento, whose season was supposed to springboard off a strong summer, has seen his World Cup hopes wrecked by a training-ground injury in the United States. His comeback will not start against Liverpool.
“For sure, too early [to return against Liverpool],” Jaissle confirmed. “He had just one training where he was partially involved.
“So we need to be smart with his progress now. We can't wait until he is 100% ready. He has huge potential and I love him.”
So two new managers walk into St James’ Park with big ideas, big expectations – and big holes in their squads. How quickly they can adapt under pressure might tell us as much about their seasons as the scoreline on opening day.
