Every club in the Premier League dreads the International break, and Liverpool fans are already feeling the negative impact that international duties have on players. The Reds have already been handed headlines to worry about, which concern their forwards.
Alexander Isak, Liverpool’s striker, has already returned to Merseyside from international break duty with Sweden after picking up a minor thigh injury. On the other hand, Cody Gakpo was substituted in the 17th minute of the Netherlands game against Serbia.
So far, there is no update on the severity of the injury or when these players are expected to return to action, but here is everything we know about the injury and how it may affect Liverpool when the Premier League returns.
Alexander Isak Sent Home From Sweden
The first blow to the Reds came from the Sweden camp; Liverpool confirmed Isak would return to the club early after a fitness issue on International duty, and would miss Sweden’s three remaining matches in this window
What happened to Isak?
Isak played for the full 90 minutes in Sweden’s game against Romania on Friday, the 25th of September, 2026. Alexander Isak scored Sweden’s first goal of the game in the 20th minute to give them the lead. The problem showed up after the game; even Sweden’s manager, Graham Potter, described the injury as a minor thigh problem and said it was not serious.
Due to the number of matches in the short span of time meant Isak could not continue in the camp. He will miss Sweden’s games against Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina on October 2, and Romania on October 5.
Why Liverpool Fans Are Nervous
Isak’s fitness history for Liverpool is the reason a large number of supporters are agitated about the current state of his injury and his shortest recovery. The striker has been in eye-catching form since the beginning of the 2026/2027 season after his poor stats for the Reds last season.
The Liverpool fans have worries about the injury slowing down the striker, as Liverpool will face Manchester City after the international break. Isak has two weeks to rest and recover, and fans are hopeful to see him fully fit once the Premier League returns.
Cody Gakpo Forced Off Against Serbia
Just as Liverpool digested the Isak news, a second forward player went down. Cody Gakpo only lasted 17 minutes in the Netherlands 2:1 victory over Serbia in the Nations League before being substituted following a hard tackle.
Gakpo was caught late by Serbia’s midfielder Sasa Lukic, with heavy contact on his lower left leg. Images circulated on social media showing Gakpo holding his ankle before the medical staff came on.
According to the new Netherlands manager, Xavi Hernandez, who had only a few details afterwards on the severity of Gakpo’s injury, saying only that it was an ankle problem. Nobody has confirmed a diagnosis yet; an ankle knock from a heavy challenge can settle within days or turn out to be something that will cost the player many weeks out.
The Bigger Problem: Liverpool Were Already Short Up Front
The reason these scares sting the Liverpool supporters is the little margin of available forward players to deal with. Hugo Ekitike is still out injured, and if Gakpo and Isak were both unavailable, the picture of Liverpool’s attack becomes even thinner.
In that scenario, only youngster Lewis Koumas would be the only fit centre-forward, with Bradley Barcola a possible option in that position. This is not the struggling depth the Reds want to start the season with, as there are still many big games ahead.
Liverpool’s first game after the international break would be on Sunday, October 11, against Manchester City at Anfield. This fixture makes the conversion of fitness more intense, as City is a strong side; for Liverpool to remain closer to the top 4 position, at least a draw would be required.
Two questions will decide what Liverpool’s forward line would look like against City:
- Is Isak fully fit? The Sweden National team claims the injury is just minor, but the real question that will influence Liverpool’s upcoming game is whether he will be fully fit to start.
- How bad is Gakpo’s ankle? This is actually the biggest concern, because of the uncertainty of how serious the ankle injury could become. Gakpo is one of Liverpool’s forwards who can comfortably play from the right wing; his absence in a big game with City might not be the best outcome.
Nothing is confirmed yet, so this is speculation. If both forwards recover in time, Iraola has his preferred attack. If only one is fit against City, then expect Iraola to use another player to fill in the position. If neither of them is ready, we could see Barcola play through the middle and Koumas as a backup option.