Klopp says Wirtz joined Liverpool at time as Isak injury looms
Jurgen Klopp has said Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool at an unlucky time, while striker Alexander Isak has suffered a ‘real blow’ to his toe, meaning Liverpool supporters must wait another two weeks before the Reds face Manchester City in the Premier League.
The report was compiled by Abbie Meehan, a Senior Sports writer, and published at 05:00 on Sep 28.
Isak's injury sidelines striker
Alexander Isak’s toe was bloodied after a stamp from a Romanian defender during Sweden’s match against Romania, yet he completed the full ninety minutes. A picture shared by Sportbladet showed the bruised foot, and Isak described the incident as ‘a real blow’ and ‘a real punch’. Sweden boss Graham Potter had intended Isak to feature in all four fixtures, but he will now miss the games against Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the return leg versus Romania.
Klopp defends Wirtz amid criticism
Florian Wirtz joined Liverpool for a reported £125 million fee from Bayer Leverkusen, a move that has drawn criticism from former player Jamie Carragher, who doubts the German’s current form. Despite the scrutiny, Jurgen Klopp has continued to back the 23‑year‑old, noting that injuries to Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala forced him to call Wirtz up to the national team squad earlier than planned.
Klopp explained, ‘When you look at the overall context, Flo joined Liverpool at a very unfortunate time. It’s about the passing of Diogo Jota. He joined a team whose priority was not football at that time, which is understandable.’ He added that Wirtz has learned a lot in his first year, is now physically strong, and that the team is beginning to find itself again.
Iraola prepares for demanding schedule
Andoni Iraola, the 44‑year‑old Liverpool manager, will be busy preparing his tactical plan after an up‑and‑down start to the 2026/27 Premier League season. The Reds sit in sixth place on nine points after three draws and two wins, and Iraola has urged his side to be as ruthless as possible to spark a good run of form.
Speaking after a winning return to Bournemouth, Iraola admitted the coming weeks will be extremely demanding, citing a schedule that pits Liverpool against top‑four opponents, Champions League fixtures and a Carabao Cup tie with Chelsea within two or three days. He praised the third consecutive clean sheet in the league but warned that the next month, after the two‑week break, will be very demanding for the squad.
Fans will have to wait another two weeks for Liverpool to return to action against Manchester City, a delay that leaves OUR LIVERPOOL supporters eager for the next challenge. The club’s official channels posted a View of three Images highlighting the injury update and the upcoming fixture.