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Liverpool's attacking options have been hit twice in the space of a few days. Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak have both left international duty injured, leaving Andoni Iraola facing an anxious wait before a heavyweight Premier League meeting with Manchester City.

Gakpo returns for assessment

Gakpo suffered an ankle injury in the first half of the Netherlands' 2-1 Nations League win over Serbia on Sunday. Liverpool confirmed on Monday that the forward has withdrawn from the Dutch squad, will miss the remaining two fixtures of the current international window, and will return to Merseyside for further assessment.

Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernández said after the game that he believed Gakpo had avoided a serious injury, though other reports have suggested he could be out for several weeks. The Dutch have chosen not to call up a replacement.

The timing is especially frustrating for the 27-year-old. Only a few days earlier, he had scored a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw against Germany in Amsterdam.

Isak also sent home

Gakpo's injury followed news that Isak had pulled out of the Sweden squad. The striker scored in Sweden's 2-1 win over Romania on Friday, but Sweden head coach Graham Potter later confirmed he would miss the rest of the extended international break with what has been described as a minor groin problem.

Liverpool will hope that the word 'minor' proves accurate. Isak's fitness has been a recurring concern since his move to Anfield, and he has already had to manage groin trouble in the past.

A thinning forward line

The two setbacks add to an already stretched attack. Hugo Ekitike is sidelined with an Achilles injury, while Federico Chiesa has been ruled out since pre-season. If Gakpo and Isak are not ready, Iraola could find himself short of senior forwards for one of the biggest games of the autumn.

That game is a big one. Liverpool's first fixture after the break is at home to Manchester City on October 11, a match that already carries extra intrigue given the reports surrounding City's 115-charge case. City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak even highlighted the trip to Anfield in his message to supporters over the weekend.

What happens next

The good news for Liverpool is the calendar. With the league programme paused for the international break, both players have close to two weeks before the City game to recover. The medical team's verdict on Gakpo's ankle over the coming days will be the key indicator of whether he has a realistic chance of being involved.

For Iraola, the break was meant to be a chance to regroup. Instead, it has become a test of his squad depth before the season's next big examination has even begun.

Photo: Timmy96 / Wikimedia Commons