Honestly, this is exactly what Liverpool supporters were worried about.
When Dominik Szoboszlai was taken off during Hungary’s 1-0 win over Georgia on October 2, the explanation from national-team coach Marco Rossi was that he was suffering from cramp.
At the time, that sounded reassuring.
There was no immediate suggestion of a serious injury, and Szoboszlai was back in the starting line-up against Ukraine just three days later, playing until the 87th minute.
So naturally, Liverpool fans had every reason to think he was fine.
Now, however, Szoboszlai has a hamstring problem — and Liverpool have been dealt another frustrating injury setback.
Andoni Iraola confirmed that the midfielder missed Sunday’s meeting with Manchester City because he had returned from international duty feeling overloaded, with tightness in his hamstring.
Why was he playing so soon after the first scare?
This is the question Liverpool supporters will understandably be asking.
Szoboszlai was withdrawn against Georgia with what Rossi described as cramp. Hungary then played Ukraine three days later, and the Liverpool midfielder featured for almost the entire match.
There is no evidence that Hungary knowingly risked an injured player, and cramp does not automatically mean a hamstring injury is present. But, looking at the situation now, it is frustrating that Szoboszlai has returned to Liverpool with a problem after playing so many minutes for his country.
He had already been carrying a heavy workload for club and country. Liverpool needed him fit for a demanding run of fixtures, particularly with several attacking players already struggling with injuries.
Instead, Iraola has another key player to manage.
Iraola has played down the severity
There is at least some encouragement in the manager’s explanation.
Iraola described Szoboszlai’s issue as a combination of tiredness and overload, adding that the midfielder had tried to push through training but was not feeling 100 per cent.
He also indicated that the problem was “very small”, although the short turnaround before Liverpool’s Champions League trip to LASK meant Szoboszlai was unlikely to recover in time.
That is better news than hearing about a significant hamstring tear.
Still, Liverpool cannot afford to take chances. Hamstring problems can become more serious if a player returns before he is ready, and Szoboszlai’s importance to this team makes caution essential.
I would much rather see him miss a match or two than be rushed back and lose him for several weeks.
Liverpool really need him
Szoboszlai has become one of Liverpool’s most important midfielders because of his energy, pressing and ability to carry the ball forward.
He gives Iraola intensity that is difficult to replace, and Liverpool have already had to cope without Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo.
His absence against Manchester City was another blow on a difficult afternoon for Liverpool, who eventually lost 3-0 at Anfield.
The fixture list now offers little time to recover. Liverpool travel to Austria to face LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Iraola must decide who is fit enough to play.
I would not risk Szoboszlai simply because Liverpool have another important game coming up. The season is long, and his fitness will matter far more than forcing him into one match.
The international break has been frustrating
There is a wider issue here, too.
Liverpool have seen multiple players return from international duty with fitness problems. Gakpo and Isak have also been dealing with injuries, while Szoboszlai’s hamstring issue has added to Iraola’s selection problems.
International football is part of the game, and players understandably want to represent their countries. But clubs are left dealing with the consequences when important players return unavailable.
In Szoboszlai’s case, the initial explanation of cramp made the situation seem relatively harmless. His subsequent appearance against Ukraine appeared to reinforce that impression.
Now Liverpool must wait to see how quickly he recovers.
Hopefully, this is only a minor setback
I am not going to blame Hungary without knowing exactly what happened or suggest that playing against Ukraine definitely caused the injury.
But I can understand why Liverpool supporters are frustrated.
Szoboszlai was taken off with cramp, played almost another full international, and has now missed a major Liverpool fixture with a tight hamstring.
That is an unfortunate sequence of events.
The positive is that Iraola has described the problem as very small rather than indicating a serious injury. The priority now is to make sure Szoboszlai recovers properly and does not aggravate it by returning too soon.
Liverpool need him back, but they need him fully fit.
After the initial cramp scare, this is not the update any of us wanted. Hopefully, it proves to be a short-lived problem — and Szoboszlai is back in the team before long.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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