Dominik Szoboszlai's return from a hamstring problem lasted only about half an hour at Brentford in Brentford vs Liverpool, and Liverpool are back worrying about one of their most important midfielders. He dropped to the turf, signalled to the bench that he had to come off and was replaced by 19-year-old Trey Nyoni.
Szoboszlai's brief return
The debate over the exact length of the spell on the pitch is minor, because the point is the same whichever count you use. Different reports put it at just half an hour, just over half an hour or 32 minutes. Liverpool had only just got him back, with his earlier recovery already limited to 28 minutes in the League Cup and 441 Premier League minutes before this setback.
That makes the Brentford trip a poor outcome for the midfielder and for Liverpool's plans. He had missed the games against Manchester City and LASK Linz with a thigh problem before returning, then suffered another interruption after the midweek 6-3 Champions League win over LASK.
What Liverpool lose next
Nyoni's introduction showed how quickly the bench was forced to change shape. The teenager has only 62 Premier League minutes this season, although he has already played 85 Champions League minutes, so Liverpool are relying on an inexperienced option if Szoboszlai is sidelined again.
The scheduling makes the blow harder to absorb. Liverpool's next three matches are Villarreal on 20 October, Brighton & Hove Albion on 25 October and Chelsea on 28 October. Szoboszlai had looked important enough to be back in the starting XI at Brentford, and now the club have another fitness question to answer before that run begins.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
