Hungary have confirmed that captain Dominik Szoboszlai suffered a knee sprain during Liverpool's 3–1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace, but the midfielder will stay with the national squad and a decision on whether he plays against Georgia on Saturday will go to the last minute. The Hungarian Football Federation confirmed in an official statement on Tuesday, 10 November, that Szoboszlai has undergone the required medical examinations, and that its medical staff will do everything possible in the coming days to make him available to the coaching staff. The federation gave no return date and no guarantee that he will play.
The problem surfaced at Selhurst Park on Sunday, 8 November, in a match Szoboszlai had started brightly. He set up the opening goal in the 40th minute, whipping in the cross from a set piece that Alexis Mac Allister headed home, and Liverpool went on to win 3–1. But Szoboszlai needed treatment on his knee shortly before half-time, and play was held up at the interval because of the injury. He returned for the second half with the joint heavily strapped and wearing a knee brace, but he was not moving freely, and Liverpool replaced him in the 69th minute with teenager Trey Nyoni. Follow the goals, cards and lineups on the Crystal Palace vs Liverpool match page.
It was Szoboszlai's first Premier League start since returning from a three-week hamstring layoff, which made the sight of him struggling through the second half at Selhurst Park a particular worry for Liverpool. Head coach Andoni Iraola said after the match that the midfielder "definitely wasn't 100% in the second half" and that he thought Szoboszlai had "extended the knee a little bit". Iraola admitted he would rather Szoboszlai withdrew from the Hungary squad, while acknowledging the midfielder's strong desire to represent his country: "I know what I want, but I also have to understand the national teams."
Hungary announced on Monday that Szoboszlai would undergo a series of medical tests before any decision was reached about his participation in the international break. The results came on Tuesday, in a short statement from the federation: "Dominik Szoboszlai has undergone the required medical examinations. Following his knee sprain, the national team's medical staff will do everything possible over the coming days to ensure that the team captain is available to the coaching staff as soon as possible. However, a decision on his availability for the match will almost certainly only be made at the last minute."
The statement confirms two things and leaves one open. The injury is a knee sprain, and Szoboszlai will remain with the Hungary squad rather than returning to Liverpool. What it does not settle is whether he will actually play. Szoboszlai himself signalled his intent to stay with the squad on Monday evening, posting photographs of his arrival for international duty with the caption "Back in town".
Hungary travel to Georgia for their penultimate Nations League fixture on Saturday, 14 November, kick-off 17:00 UTC, before hosting Northern Ireland on Tuesday, 17 November. Szoboszlai is Hungary's captain and their most important creative player, so losing him for either game would be a significant blow — and the federation's "last minute" wording means the team news is unlikely to be settled until the day of the match itself. Follow the score, lineups and match details on the Georgia vs Hungary match page.
For Liverpool, the immediate concern is narrower. The international break means Szoboszlai was not due to play club football again until the visit of Manchester United on Sunday, 22 November, which gives the knee almost two weeks from the injury. But neither Hungary nor Liverpool has said whether he will be fit for that game, and the next official word is likely to come only after Saturday's fitness call.
The next checkpoint is Saturday's matchday itself, when Hungary will decide whether their captain can play in Georgia. If he does not feature, Tuesday's home game against Northern Ireland becomes the next chance to see him back in action. The confirmed facts are the knee sprain, the decision to keep him with the squad, and the absence of an official return date. Any date circulating online should be treated as unconfirmed unless it is backed by a further official statement from Hungary or Liverpool. ScorePulse will update this story when either gives their next official assessment of Szoboszlai's knee.
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