Andoni Iraola will have to wait for the scan results before knowing how long he is without his most reliable forward. The Dutch international flew out of Xavi Hernández’s Nations League camp on Monday and headed back to Merseyside for assessment at the club’s training ground.

Gakpo lasted only 17 minutes in Belgrade. A heavy challenge from Saša Lukić caught him awkwardly in the 12th minute. He tried to run it off, then signalled to the bench five minutes later that he could not continue. Rúben van Bommel came on in his place.

Xavi Hernández played down the worst-case reading after the game.

“It’s his ankle, that’s all I know for now. I don’t think it’s so bad but tomorrow we will know for sure,” he told reporters.

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Isak already sent home from Sweden camp

Iraola’s international window had already cost him one first-choice attacker. Alexander Isak was sent home from Sweden on Saturday with a thigh problem after playing in the win over Romania.

A mild sprain could see Gakpo back within days, while a partial ligament tear would be counted in weeks and would rule him out of a run of matches that starts with the home fixture against Manchester City on Sunday, 11 October, and continues against Brentford.

Netherlands not calling a replacement

The Netherlands still won 2-1 in Belgrade and Xavi Hernández will not add a replacement to his squad. Van Bommel and Noa Lang remain in the attacking group for the second fixture of the international window.

Gakpo has been an unusually durable presence for Liverpool since arriving from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, avoiding the ankle problems that punctuated his final season in the Eredivisie. His scan is scheduled at Liverpool this week.

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