Team news from the Etihad Stadium as Alexander Isak returns to the Liverpool match-day squad for the big Premier League clash against Manchester City
15:20, 09 Nov 2025
Alexander Isak is back in the Liverpool squad for today’s huge clash at Manchester City(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Alexander Isak returns to the Liverpool bench as Arne Slot names an unchanged team at Manchester City from Tuesday’s 1-0 home win over Real Madrid. Isak hasn’t played since being taken off at half time of the 5-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt back on October 22 after suffering a groin injury.
The Sweden international has missed the last four games as a result but was called up for international duty by new manager Graham Potter earlier this week and after returning to training this week with his colleagues, Isak is named as part of the substitutes in Manchester.
As a result, the £125m striker is back in the match-squad as the Premier League champions aim to reduce the gap to leaders Arsenal to five points in a game that sees Pep Guardiola mark his 1,000th in management.
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The unchanged team means Conor Bradley starts his third game in eight days at right-back as Andy Robertson continues to keep Milos Kerkez out of the team on the other side. Ibrahima Konate partners Virgil van Dijk in the centre.
Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch will sit as the deepest midfielders with in-form Dominik Szoboszlai charged with operating further forward as Slot sticks with the same engine room that contributed to victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid in the last week.
Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz make up the front three with Cody Gakpo on the bench alongside Isak and Federico Chiesa.
Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku all start for Man City with Omar Marmoush on the bench for Guardiola’s side.
Slot is aiming for back-to-back victories at the Etihad having done the double over City last season en route to the title. However, Liverpool have won only twice here in the league for 10 years.
Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szobsozlai, Wirtz; Ekitike. Subs: Woodman, Kerkez, Endo, Gomez, Jones, Chiesa, Isak, Gakpo, Ngumoha.
Man City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Silva, Foden, Cherki, Doku; Haaland. Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Bobb, Lewis.
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