Iraola's Injury Update on Barcola and Gakpo Ahead of Fulham Clash

Iraola delivers mixed injury news on Barcola and Gakpo before Fulham visit Anfield

Liverpool’s week has swung from anxiety to cautious relief in the space of a few days, and Andoni Iraola’s latest fitness bulletin captured that shift perfectly.

The Premier League leaders host winless Fulham at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, defending an unbeaten start to the season and the momentum of a stirring midweek comeback against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. The mood could easily have been darker.

Bradley Barcola, the £123 million headline signing of the summer, limped off on the hour in that 2-1 win, sparking immediate fears that Liverpool’s new attacking jewel had suffered a serious setback. With the Frenchman already central to Iraola’s high-octane approach, the sight of him signalling to the bench was enough to tighten a few stomachs around Anfield.

Those fears, though, have been eased.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Iraola confirmed that Barcola’s withdrawal was down to cramp rather than a muscle injury and that, barring any late issues, the forward should be in contention to face Fulham.

“We still need to train this afternoon, but Barcola was just cramps, he finished the game tired so we have to evaluate but there's no injury. He should be available if everything goes normal,” Iraola said, framing the problem as a symptom of workload rather than anything more sinister.

For a Liverpool side already leaning heavily on Barcola’s energy and direct running, that counts as a significant boost. The French international has quickly become a reference point in the final third, and his availability helps Iraola maintain the aggressive, front-foot structure that has unsettled opponents in the opening weeks.

The news on Cody Gakpo is less straightforward.

The Dutch forward missed the Atletico clash after suffering an adductor issue against Ipswich Town last week. He has not yet returned to full training and remains a doubt for Fulham, with Iraola confirming that a late decision will be needed.

“Cody we will see. He did not train yesterday [Thursday], so today we will try with him and let's see if he's ready for tomorrow [Saturday] or we need to wait until the next one,” the Liverpool manager explained.

Gakpo’s potential absence would cut into one of Liverpool’s early-season success stories. The Netherlands international has opened the campaign in sharp form, with a goal and three assists in the club’s first three league fixtures, offering both end product and tactical flexibility across the front line. Losing that influence, even briefly, shifts more responsibility onto the likes of Barcola and the rest of Iraola’s attacking options.

Behind those short-term calls sits a longer, more delicate recovery.

Hugo Ekitike, sidelined since rupturing his Achilles in April, remains some distance from a full return. Iraola made no attempt to disguise the scale of the challenge facing the young striker, even as he acknowledged a sliver of optimism regarding the club’s European plans.

“Hugo, it's difficult with these long-term injuries,” he said. “He's still far. But we had a meeting with all the department to analyse and complete the list of European games and there's a small chance he could play in the last two games of the group stages, but it's too early to say. It's a big injury.

“But if we decided to put him there, it is because there's a hope and a realistic chance he could help us in January.”

That decision to include Ekitike in European calculations hints at Liverpool’s broader thinking. Iraola wants his squad primed not just for the weekly grind of the Premier League, but for a deep run in continental competition, and a fit, explosive striker returning mid-season could alter the landscape of their attack.

For now, though, the focus narrows to Fulham, a 3pm kickoff, and the task of preserving a perfect league platform. Barcola looks ready to drive that charge again. Gakpo stands on the brink, waiting on one more training session. And somewhere down the line, in the background of a long campaign, Ekitike works towards the moment he can rejoin the story.