Liverpool travel to LASK on Wednesday night for a Champions League tie that looks made for rotation. Three days after Manchester City visit Anfield, Andoni Iraola takes his unbeaten side to Linz for matchday two of the league phase, with an injury list that is already forcing his hand. This is our predicted Liverpool XI.

Team news: the walking wounded

Iraola confirmed in his interview on 7 October that Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are both doubts. Isak has a minor thigh problem picked up on Sweden duty, where he scored against Romania, while Gakpo hurt his ankle playing for the Netherlands against Serbia. With a game of Manchester City’s magnitude coming first, neither is likely to be risked in Austria if there is any lingering issue, which frames Liverpool’s attacking injury crisis as the defining theme of the week.

The problems run deeper. Jeremy Jacquet is out with the left hamstring strain confirmed by the French federation on 5 October, an injury that forced him to miss France’s win over Belgium, as detailed in our piece on Jacquet’s hamstring blow. Milos Kerkez left his national-team camp with an undisclosed issue, while Hugo Ekitike and Conor Bradley remain long-term absentees. The one piece of good news is Federico Chiesa, who is nearing a return to full training and for whom a start against modest opposition looks like the logical reintroduction.

Liverpool’s predicted XI in Linz

Iraola named a strong side for the 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid on matchday one, with Alexis Mac Allister’s winner settling it at Anfield, but the Raiffeisen Arena calls for something different. Expect a 4-2-3-1 packed with fresh legs.

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Predicted Liverpool XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Chiesa; Koumas.

Alisson keeps his place in goal, but the back four could be almost unrecognisable. Jeremie Frimpong is the natural deputy for Ronald Araujo at right-back, Joe Gomez’s experience makes him the obvious partner for Virgil van Dijk with Jacquet sidelined, and Kostas Tsimikas steps in for Kerkez on the left. In midfield, Ryan Gravenberch can anchor alongside Mac Allister, allowing Dominik Szoboszlai a breather after what promises to be an intense afternoon against City.

Further forward is where the rotation really bites. Rio Ngumoha keeps his place on the right after starting against Atletico, Florian Wirtz pulls the strings centrally, and Chiesa gets his first start on the left. Through the middle, Lewis Koumas, who made his European debut off the bench against Atletico, could lead the line with Isak doubtful and Ekitike out. Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz offer attacking options from the bench.

What about LASK?

LASK opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to AEK Athens and are priced among the rank outsiders for the competition, but they will see Wednesday as a free hit. The Austrian side have nothing to lose against a rotated Liverpool, and the early kick-off slot (18:45 CET) gives the Raiffeisen Arena every chance to be loud. For context on where this tie sits in the wider round, see our five Champions League storylines for matchday two.

Our prediction

Even a heavily rotated Liverpool should have too much quality for LASK. The hosts will make it awkward for an hour, but the Reds’ depth in attacking areas should tell late on. Prediction: LASK 0-2 Liverpool. A professional win would make it two from two in Europe and keep the unbeaten run intact heading into the next block of fixtures, with UEFA’s official fixture list confirming the tie for Wednesday 14 October.