Liverpool has 15 players not currently away on international duty, with Andoni Iraola hoping a two-week international break will help his sidelined players to return

No sooner had Liverpool celebrated their return to winning form against Crystal Palace, recovering from back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Fenerbahce, than the majority of Andoni Iraola's squad departed for international duty during the final break of the calendar year.

Whether this interruption has arrived at an opportune or inopportune moment for the Reds is a matter of perspective. Following their triumph at Selhurst Park, Liverpool's rhythm has potentially been interrupted by the latest international window - particularly with fixtures against fierce rivals Manchester United and Everton looming later this month.

Nevertheless, considering the Reds' present injury concerns, a fortnight's pause is arguably not the most unwelcome development for Iraola's walking wounded as Liverpool anticipate several players moving closer to fitness when domestic football recommences.

The Reds' upcoming fixture is against United at Anfield on 22 November, by which stage the Red Devils will almost certainly have appointed a new manager after initiating discussions with Mauricio Pochettino as club officials consider whether to sack Michael Carrick.

Liverpool lost Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai to injury during the previous international break, forcing Iraola to deploy an improvised forward line against Manchester City as the Reds succumbed to a 3-0 defeat upon their Premier League return.

The Basque will be monitoring developments nervously, hoping the current break proves more favourable to his squad with 15 senior players presently representing their countries.

That said, a considerable number will find themselves at a loose end and training at the AXA Training Centre throughout the break, ahead of the resumption of domestic fixtures.

The Reds have up to 15 players who aren't presently on international duty with their countries, although this figure encompasses several injury-hit individuals.

Virgil van Dijk pulled out of the Netherlands squad owing to a minor knock, with the Dutch defender disclosing following the win against Crystal Palace that he had been managing discomfort in recent weeks.

"Physically I've been struggling with a little niggle the last couple of weeks," he revealed. "But I do everything in my power to be out there."

Iraola will be hopeful that a fortnight's rest during the international window will provide Van Dijk with precisely what he requires to overcome the problem before taking on Manchester United.

The Basque will equally be hoping that Ryan Gravenberch and Jeremie Frimpong will be available to feature against the Red Devils, having been omitted from the Netherlands squad after being ruled out by heel and muscle complaints respectively in recent weeks.

Alisson Becker was once more amongst several established players excluded from the Brazil squad by Carlo Ancelotti as the Italian seizes the chance to assess the next generation, while Wataru Endo stepped away from international football after accepting he wouldn't recover in time to represent Japan at this summer's World Cup.

Federico Chiesa has likewise been omitted from Italy's squad, with manager Roberto Mancini acknowledging the forward must enhance his fitness levels before being considered for selection, having played only two minutes for Liverpool this season following his recovery from a back injury.

Additionally, Joe Gomez, Freddie Woodman, Luke Chambers, James McConnell and Jayden Danns have not received international call-ups from their respective nations.

Meanwhile, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Hugo Ekitike and Vitezslav Jaros all remain unavailable due to long-term injuries, with the quartet continuing their recovery work throughout the international break.

Nevertheless, Iraola has previously indicated that both Leoni and Bradley may rejoin group training after the November international break, with the pair - alongside Frimpong following his recent muscle problem - awaiting clearance from the club's medical staff to resume.

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Leoni had initially been scheduled to return during the previous break, only for his comeback to be pushed back. The Liverpool manager also disclosed last month that Bradley was approaching a return to light sessions alongside his teammates.

The international break will provide a crucial two-week period for Leoni, Bradley and Ekitike to take significant strides in their continuing recoveries as they aim to regain match fitness prior to the year's conclusion. Meanwhile, it could also provide the likes of Chiesa, Endo and Danns with a chance to regain match sharpness and make an impression on their new head coach, having scarcely been involved this season after falling behind in their recovery from injury.

By contrast, Alisson may well be granted an extended break compared to his colleagues, with Liverpool handling the Brazilian cautiously following injury-plagued periods in recent campaigns.

And it wouldn't come as a shock to see Van Dijk and Gravenberch given additional recovery time as the Reds await the duo's return to full fitness ahead of Liverpool's resumption of club fixtures - particularly with the festive schedule gradually approaching on the horizon.