Andoni Iraola has backed his rookie teenagers to step up and solve a defensive crisis as the Liverpool boss admitted it is ‘impossible’ for Joe Gomez to be fit for the new season.Captain Virgil van Dijk has begun work back in Liverpool but is not on the pre-season tour, while fellow centre back Jeremy Jacquet is yet to feature and Giovanni Leoni is still in rehabilitation from a cruciate ligament injury.Gomez limped off in the Reds’ opening friendly in Nashville last week with a muscle injury but Iraola has given his backing to several kids who have ‘surprised’ him with their ability this fortnight.‘Joe has a muscle injury,’ said Iraola, who was forced to turn to 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe – who cannot play this season due to work permit issues – and Luke Chambers, a left back who spent last season on loan at Charlton.‘It was quite clear since he complained straight away so he will be some weeks off. It’s difficult to say – normally one month. If it goes very well, then a little bit less. If it goes bad then a bit more but it’s a muscle injury.‘It’s not massive. It will be impossible to have him for the start of the season because we are not so far (away) but it shouldn’t be a lot more. Andoni Iraola has admitted that he has no choice but to turn to youth in Liverpool’s current defensive crisis Joe Gomez (pictured) picked up an injury in pre-season and Virgil van Dijk is currently the only fit senior centre back at the club‘You’ve seen in these games that we are pretty thin in the centre back position. We still don’t have Virgil. The only centre-backs we have right now are Mor (Talla Ndiaye) and Ifeanyi who are 18, just arrived at the club and are doing incredibly well.‘But I’m happy that playing against Sunderland and Wrexham with 18-year-old centre backs, the team has shown composure and solidity at the back and it speaks very well about them.‘A lot of players have surprised me, especially the young players I did not know before. They have given a very, very high level in these friendlies. They have to grow, which is very good. We will recover players.‘We have done a great job with these players the first two weeks then we have to integrate the new ones slowly. These players know where we are going and can help us.’Iraola also said he wants all of his wingers to be able to play on both sides amid talk that every wide forward at the club prefers being on the left, especially with Paris Saint-Germain’s £140million-rated left-winger Bradley Barcola their top target.Dominik Szoboszlai has been very complimentary about Iraola and said: ‘He is very good, the intensity we need is here now. What we have been missing is back, from the coach and players as well. So now we have to put this together with the team we have.’The Hungarian signed a new five-year contract earlier this month and added: ‘I am very happy (with the new deal). It was a long way until it was over the line. Hopefully I can stay as long as both sides want and win everything that is possible.’