The players Iraola cannot call upon at Portman Road

Liverpool make the trip to Ipswich Town on Friday evening with a point to prove after back-to-back draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest have left the season without a win so far. The good news is that £123m summer arrival Bradley Barcola is in contention to make his debut, which will give supporters plenty to be excited about. The less welcome news is that five players remain unavailable, with Federico Chiesa, Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike all expected to miss out.

Iraola was asked directly whether Barcola could start at Portman Road, and his response was measured but encouraging: "Good question. I see him in a good place. He has trained for us, it's true he hasn't had minutes in pre-season. He has been training and it's a decision we have to make. But we have to consider he hasn't had minutes in pre-season games." A debut from the bench looks the likelier scenario, but his presence in the squad alone will lift the mood.

Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa: back before the international break?

Of the five sidelined players, Joe Gomez is the closest to returning. Iraola confirmed the defender will rejoin group training next week, with a mid-to-late September return date the current target. The manager offered some cautious optimism: "The recovery from a muscle injury, more or less, we were expecting the time on this. I hope we can have him before the break, let's say."

Federico Chiesa is expected to follow a similar timeline. Iraola indicated the winger should be available around the same period, stating "I think even Fede should be around those dates" when referring to the September international break window. Two players potentially back in the fold before October would be a significant boost to the squad's depth as the fixture list begins to pile up.

Giovanni Leoni and the longer waits for Bradley and Ekitike

Giovanni Leoni is expected to begin training with the group during the international break, though his competitive return is not anticipated until late October or November at the earliest. Given the Italian defender only joined the club this summer, it is a frustrating start to life at the club, but the plan at least appears to be progressing on schedule.

The two most concerning cases are Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike. Bradley, sidelined with an ongoing issue, and Ekitike, who is dealing with an Achilles injury, are both tracking towards significantly longer absences. Iraola was candid about the situation: "Probably Conor and especially Hugo will go later, yes." Current estimates point to a return for Ekitike somewhere between December and January 2027, which represents a substantial chunk of the season lost for the summer signing.

Iraola's message: the winning starts now

Despite the injury concerns, Iraola was clear that excuses will not be entertained when Liverpool run out at Portman Road. With the transfer window now firmly shut, he sounded a manager who knows exactly what he has and is ready to get on with it. "This game tomorrow, the first two games weeks are the most difficult but I'm much more comfortable now the market is closed and we know who we are. We have to perform and do our job."

He was equally direct about the need for three points: "Definitely, if you don't win you are frustrated. It's only two games but we need to win." Liverpool have the quality in the squad to get the job done on Friday night, and with Barcola potentially set for his first appearance, there is a feeling that the season is about to properly begin.

If Barcola does come off the bench at Portman Road, you suspect it will not be long before he is starting every week.