Six Liverpool Stars to Miss Carabao Cup Clash with Southampton | OneFootball

Six Liverpool Stars to be Rested for Southampton Cup Clash

Liverpool return to Carabao Cup action tonight for the first time since the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the final back in March.

The Reds have enjoyed a perfect start to the season, in terms of results, winning six out of six across all competitions. Five of those came in their opening five Premier League fixtures, leaving them five points clear at the top of the table. The other came against Atletico Madrid in the opening fixture of their Champions League campaign.

But tonight, they face a completely different test against EFL Championship side Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

With Arne Slot’s side in the midst of a busy fixture schedule, the Dutchman has already confirmed plans for five Liverpool players to miss this game.

Speaking after Liverpool’s derby victory over Everton, Slot confirmed that Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Mohamed Salah, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai would all be absent for this one.

Van Dijk’s absence will also see Andy Robertson wear the captains armband for this one after being confirmed as the club’s vice-captain.

Photo: IMAGO

Two Debuts Expected

You can also expect Alisson Becker to sit out this one, after being in attendance of the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris last night. With that being said, summer signing Giorgi Mamardashvili is in line to make his Liverpool debut in between the sticks.

Centre-back Giovanni Leoni is also expected to make his debut following his £25m arrival from Parma in the summer.

Predicted XI:

Most of Liverpool’s senior players will be eyeing Saturday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, who remain the only other team to hold an unbeaten record in the Premier League so far this season.

Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Salah will all return straight to the starting lineup at the weekend.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Leoni, Gomez, Kerkez, Endo, Nyoni, Jones, Ngumoha, Isak, Chiesa.

Bench: Woodman, Williams, Bradley, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitike, Danns.