Andoni Iraola delivers mixed injury update Hugo Ekitike after Liverpool win

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has revealed that Conor Bradley is nearing a return to group training, while Hugo Ekitike remains slightly further behind in his recovery from long-term injuries.

The pair are yet to feature for Iraola despite travelling with the squad for Liverpool’s pre-season tour of North America, with both players continuing their rehabilitation as they work towards a return to competitive action.

Bradley has been sidelined since sustaining a serious knee injury during Liverpool’s goalless draw against Arsenal in January. The defender has since resumed work in the gym and is approaching the next stage of his recovery.

Ekitike, meanwhile, suffered a ruptured Achilles during Liverpool’s Champions League encounter with Paris Saint-Germain in April. The forward spent part of his rehabilitation in the United States before returning to light training in recent weeks.

Although both players have made encouraging progress, Iraola has stopped short of setting a definitive return date, insisting that their availability will depend on medical assessments and how they respond to their rehabilitation programmes.

“They are both doing very well. I think they are in a good place,” Iraola said.

Bradley edges closer to group training

Bradley appears to be further along in his recovery, with Iraola indicating that the Northern Ireland international could soon begin participating in selected sessions with his teammates.

However, the Liverpool boss stressed that the defender would not immediately return to full training, highlighting the need for a gradual transition after several months on the sidelines.

“Conor is not far from training with the group – not like full training, but doing some things with the group,” he added.

The update offers encouragement for Liverpool, who have had to manage Bradley’s absence since the defender’s injury against Arsenal disrupted his campaign.

His return to partial group training would represent a significant step forward, although he still faces further rehabilitation before being considered for match selection.

Ekitike follows recovery plan

Ekitike’s rehabilitation is progressing more slowly, with the striker yet to reach the stage Bradley is approaching.

The Frenchman suffered the Achilles injury against Paris Saint-Germain in April, dealing a major setback to his hopes of making an immediate impact for Liverpool.

Iraola, however, remains satisfied with the forward’s progress and indicated that his current position is consistent with the recovery schedule established following the injury.

“Hugo is a little bit behind that, but that was always the plan. He’s still doing very well according to the plan,” he said.

The Liverpool manager acknowledged the difficulty of predicting when either player would be ready to return, given the length of their respective absences.

“It’s difficult to put a timescale on them. When they’ve been injured for so long, it’s difficult to say, but I think Conor is not far away.”

Liverpool will continue to monitor both players before determining when they can resume full training and eventually return to competitive action.

Isak continues to deliver away from home

While Liverpool await the return of their injured players, Alexander Isak has continued to make a decisive contribution, particularly in away matches.

The striker scored the winning goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Brentford, capitalising on Bradley Barcola’s header eight minutes after Munoz had equalised.

It was another example of Isak’s ability to influence matches even when he has been relatively quiet for extended periods.

The Sweden international had already scored twice in the 2-0 win at Ipswich Town and netted the decisive goal against Bournemouth, underlining his importance to Iraola’s side on their travels.

Isak has also developed an impressive record against Brentford, scoring in all five of his Premier League appearances against the club for a total of five goals.

His latest contribution proved especially valuable in a match that tested Liverpool’s resilience.

Injury concerns overshadow important victory

Iraola will have been encouraged by the three points but concerned by fresh injury problems involving Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong.

Szoboszlai was forced off in the first half with what appeared to be a recurrence of his hamstring problem, while Frimpong lasted only seven minutes after entering the match at the beginning of the second half.

Liverpool were far from fluent, but the victory provided an important result for Iraola as he continues to establish his methods.

With Bradley and Ekitike still working towards their returns, Liverpool will hope to avoid further setbacks while relying on players such as Isak to maintain their momentum.