Liverpool (A) Carabao Cup Weds 20th Dec 8pm live on Sky

ASLEFshrugged

Liverpool are suffering a bit on an injury crisis at the moment, on Sunday the bench looked a bit sparse with room for a three U21s and our old mate Adrian who will celebrate his 37th birthday in a couple of weeks

The latest addition to the injury list is Ryan Gravenberch who was forced off after an hour with a suspected hamstring injury. That comes in addition to Matip (ACL), Thiago (hip), Robertson (shoulder), Jota (hamstring), Mac Allister (knee) and Bajcetic (calf)

In the last cup match against Bournemouth Klopp made nine changes to the starting XI with just Tsimikas and Salah playing both games

In all likelihood back up keeper Caoimhín Kelleher will continue in goal having started against Leicester and Bournemouth. Gomez, Elliot, Jones and Gakpo all started against Bournemouth and were all subs against Man Utd so will probably feature but as for the rest its anybody's guess

With a top of the table clash against Arsenal on Saturday Klopp must be concerned about risking any more injuries to his shrinking first team squad so fingers crossed for lots of unfamiliar names on that team sheet

alderz

I’m hopeful that he’ll decide this isn’t worth the energy it will sap from the Arsenal game, and we’ll win at a canter against children.

claretandbluesky

My hope and suspicion is that he will do what Arteta did and try and win it with a reduced side and have the big guns on the bench, then like Arsenal introduce them when we are ahead and have momentum enough to see us through.

Lukerz

Massive opportunity to win at Anfield with their eyes on the Arsenal game.

Let’s go full strength & try & get through.

Fabianski
Coufal - Mavropanos - Aguerd - Emerson
Soucek - Alvarez
Kudus - JWP - Paqueta
Bowen

Kuchinghammer

I think Coufal needs a rest to calm down. Those pills aren't working any more....

buffybegood

Lukerz said:

Massive opportunity to win at Anfield with their eyes on the Arsenal game.

I think this is quite possibly true. I know it's early days in the League, but Man City seem well off it this season, so Arsenal and Liverpool will both be fancying their chances; it makes their match on Saturday huge. You'd think Klopp will prioritise the league over the League Cup, so there must be a decent chance he won't field his strongest side on Wednesday.

Given the other clubs left in, we really should be targeting this, it's probably our best chance of getting back into Europe next season unless the form shown in the last 2 matches continues.

IronHerb

But surely it's about winning this trophy and not about European qualification.

alderz

I want more trophies, tbh.

buffybegood

IronHerb said:

But surely it's about winning this trophy and not about European qualification.

Indeed, I just meant there's no reason not to prioritise this given we're unlikely, imo, to qualify for Europe through the league. We're still owed this trophy from 1981, cheated by Liverpool in another Cup Final.

IronHerb

👍

ASLEFshrugged

Klopp's assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders will be doing the pre-match press conference at 1:30pm although he also did the pressers for the other two Carabao Cup matches

Carabao Cup not worth Klopp's time and effort?

buffybegood

ASLEFshrugged said:

Klopp's assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders will be doing the pre-match press conference at 1:30pm although he also did the pressers for the other two Carabao Cup matches

Carabao Cup not worth Klopp's time and effort?

In fairness, McKinlay did our presser today.

ASLEFshrugged

Maybe there's a "gentleman's agreement" that the assistants do the Carabao Cup press conferences

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

buffybegood said:

ASLEFshrugged said:

Klopp's assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders will be doing the pre-match press conference at 1:30pm although he also did the pressers for the other two Carabao Cup matches

Carabao Cup not worth Klopp's time and effort?

In fairness, McKinlay did our presser today.

Moyes too busy winning trophies

Dodger58

It’s what he does

MrsGrey

ASLEFshrugged said:

Maybe there's a "gentleman's agreement" that the assistants do the Carabao Cup press conferences

I think it's a good thing to show a commitment to helping the assistants develop and get more experience.

ASLEFshrugged

MrsGrey said:

I think it's a good thing to show a commitment to helping the assistants develop and get more experience.

Like playing the backup keeper in Cup matches

Lijnders says Gravenberch had "delayed-onset muscle soreness" and should train today but otherwise unlikely that any players on the injury list will be available

steve

Wonder who we will get in the semi finals

buffybegood

steve said:

Wonder who we will get in the semi finals

If we get there, it won't be Everton who lose on penalties to Fulham 😂🤣😂. To make it worse (for them), Fulham missed their 4th penalty, meaning Onana just had to score Everton's 5th penalty and they were through, but he passed it to the keeper instead, shame 😂🤣😂. Gueye then missed his penalty after a couple were converted by each side, and Pickford couldn't keep out Adarabioyo's subsequent penalty.

thornburyiron

Or Newcastle as they’ve lost on pens to Chelsea.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Great chance in this competition if we can get through tonight, which will obviously be really tough.

Brother_Sledge

Agree with C & B that Klippety will keep some big guns on the bench, so we need to start strong and hopefully have something to defend.
Not sure who our best keeper is for a penalty shoot out.
Don't want Adrian coming on to score the winner tonight.

ASLEFshrugged

A few unfamiliar names that might crop up on the Liverpool team sheet

First four have started both previous Carabao Cup fixtures...

GK Caoimhín Kelleher, 25, 30 first team apps, 10 caps for Ireland,
CM/AM Harvey Elliot, 20, 88 first team apps, mostly famous for injuring his ankle
CM Curtis Jones, 22, 112 first team apps
CB Jarell Quansah, 20, on loan at Bristol City last season, 12 first team apps

Plus kids who have been on the bench recently...

RB/RM Conor Bradley, 20, on loan at Bolton last season , 7 first team apps
LB Luke Chambers, 19, on loan at Kilmarnock last season, 4 first team apps
CM James McConnell, 19, 3 first team apps
LB Calum Scanlon, 19, 2 first team apps

We will not be seeing...

LW/RW Ben Doak, 18, has featured recently but went off with a knee against Chelsea U21s on Sunday and needs surgery

Right I've got to do my second half, finish at 6:45pm then off to the pub!

COYI

buffybegood

Areola, Coufal, Mavropanos, Ogbonna ©, Johnson, Álvarez, Souček, Fornals, Kudus, Benrahma, Bowen
Subs: Fabiański (GK), Zouma, Kehrer, Cresswell, Emerson, Ward-Prowse, Paquetá, Ings, Mubama

Disappointing team selection imo.

MrsGrey

I'm ok with that

MrsGrey

BBC reported more illness in the squad.

Plus, need to keep everyone match fit and sharp for the busy schedule.

steve

LOSS

EXETERHAMMER

I'm not. Just don't get why our first 11 aren't out. 3 games from a trophy.

EXETERHAMMER

If they are ill, they shouldn't be on the bench.

thornburyiron

Because some of our first 11 are ill so can’t play. Even a couple on the bench are recovering from illness.

EXETERHAMMER

Fair enough. I am not in the know.