Alexander Isak blow opens door for Liverpool academy star who Iraola highly rates

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Rush The Kop or go back to LFC Live.

International breaks always feel like they drag on forever, but this one has felt a bit different around Anfield.While most of the squad has been away on duty, the huge news broke off the pitch: Manchester City were found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. Suddenly, an already massive fixture feels even bigger, and Liverpool will find themselves as the default favourites for neutral fans across the country.\For head coach Andoni Iraola, though, none of that noise changes the job at hand.While he waits for his international stars to fly back, Iraola has been working with a skeleton crew down at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby.

But rather than taking his foot off the gas or giving everyone extra days off, Iraola has stuck strictly to his normal training schedule.To make up the numbers, he brought in a group of youngsters from the Under-21s and Under-18s. Iraola wants every team in the club playing the exact same style of football, so throwing the academy lads straight into first-team drills made total sense.Among those stepping up, two names have really caught the eye: James McConnell and Jayden Danns.McConnell has already shown what he can do this season.

While Lewis Koumas has made huge strides, Danns offers something a bit different he works his socks off, has a physical presence, and knows where the back of the net is.When news came through that Alexander Isak had to leave the Sweden camp early, it was a sharp reminder of how thin Liverpool's options are up front. That makes Danns’ timing perfect.Iraola has proven since he arrived that if you work hard in training, you get your chance.