Andoni Iraola is seeking clarity on the availability of his Liverpool squad ahead of their Premier League encounter with Newcastle United.
The match at St James’ Park marks the Reds’ first competitive fixture under their recently appointed head coach on Sunday afternoon.
Four established Liverpool players have been ruled out for Sunday’s trip, with three of them facing extended periods on the sidelines.
Striker Hugo Ekitike is racing against time to feature again before the year ends after sustaining a severe Achilles problem in early April. Defensive back Conor Bradley is still managing his recovery from significant knee surgery sustained at Arsenal back in January.
Centre-back Giovanni Leoni is edging closer to returning to first-team sessions after an ACL injury that has kept him out since September. Defender Joe Gomez remains sidelined due to a muscle complaint suffered in the opening pre-season friendly against Sunderland.
Several other Liverpool players face uncertainty heading into the match. Midfielder Curtis Jones, who has attracted interest from Inter Milan, has missed the past two weekends with a hip complaint. Goalkeeper Freddie Woodman was absent for both friendly matches against Como on Sunday while managing an injury throughout pre-season training.
Young forward Jayden Danns and midfielder Stefan Bajcetic are both unavailable as they continue recovering from muscle problems.
As well as numerous senior players departing Anfield this summer, Newcastle are also managing fitness concerns over several squad members.
Midfielder Joelinton will be sidelined for several weeks with an unspecified problem, while defenders Valentino Livramento and Fabian Schar are both considered uncertain for Liverpool’s visit.