A new worry on the eve of a big European night

Liverpool head into Tuesday's Champions League fixture against Villarreal carrying fresh injury concerns, with Victor Munoz the most notable absentee from Monday's open training session at the AXA Training Centre. The Spaniard scored the equaliser in the 2-1 Premier League win at Brentford at the weekend but required treatment twice during that match, and whilst he was able to play on each time, he was eventually replaced by Joe Gomez towards the end. Whether that was precautionary or something more serious remains to be seen, but his absence from Monday's session will have raised a few eyebrows heading into a European night at Anfield.

Munoz is not the only concern. Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong have both been ruled out after picking up issues at Brentford, making them the latest additions to what is becoming a frustratingly lengthy injury list. Andoni Iraola is already managing without Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike, who all continue their long-term rehabilitation programmes. It is the kind of absentee list that tests a squad's depth to its very limits.

Academy called upon again as squad depth is stretched

For the second successive Champions League match, Liverpool have found themselves turning to the Academy to fill out the squad. Midfielder Michael Laffey, the 21-year-old under-21s captain who has featured twice in the EFL Trophy this season, was part of the session. His only previous senior involvement came as an unused substitute in the League Cup defeat to Crystal Palace last October, so this is unfamiliar territory for the youngster. Left-back Luke Chambers and midfielder James McConnell, both of whom have made first-team appearances this season, were also involved, as was striker Jayden Danns.

It is a situation that speaks to the scale of Liverpool's current fitness problems. Leaning on the Academy is not a criticism of those players, who will relish the opportunity, but it does underline just how stretched things have become at the wrong moment in the campaign.

Where things stand before kick-off

There was one note of relative optimism in Monday's session: Federico Chiesa trained despite not being part of Liverpool's squad for the Champions League group stage. Wataru Endo, who is also ineligible for the competition, was absent. Neither can affect the outcome on Tuesday, but Chiesa's involvement at least suggests he is building fitness.

All eyes will be on Munoz as Iraola makes his final selection decisions. If the Spaniard is passed fit, it is a significant boost for a side already navigating this fixture with a makeshift look about it. If not, Tuesday night just got a little more complicated.