Liverpool's likely XI to face Chelsea in Carabao Cup final as injuries mount up

24 February 2024 , 07:46

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Liverpool's likely XI to face Chelsea in Carabao Cup final as injuries mount up

Jurgen Klopp will likely be forced to field a side packed with fringe players when Liverpool face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.

The Reds' preparation for Sunday's 3pm kick-off has been marred by a growing injury crisis at Anfield, with Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota all recently being sidelined for significant periods. Klopp - who after Wednesday's vital 4-1 win at home to Luton vowed to "go for it" regardless of his options - does have three players who are touch and go for the match: Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai.

They'll each face a late fitness test in order to be available for what could be Klopp's final game at Wembley ahead of his departure from Liverpool this summer. "Dom, Darwin and Mo, we will see," Reds assistant manager Pep Lijnders told a pre-match press conference. "We have two more sessions, two days. We will check if they can be there."

With that in mind, a front three of Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz - who each scored against Luton - is expected. In the engine room behind them, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are set to start. Although youngster Conor Bradley could get the nod at right-back, the Reds' back four will likely be made up of Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil Van Dijk and Andy Robertson, who'll guard 2022 cup final hero Caoimhin Kelleher in goal.

Salah made his return from a month-long injury layoff during Liverpool's 4-1 win at Brentford last Saturday but was absent in midweek. Nunez - who like Salah scored against Brentford - was brought off at half-time, while Szoboszlai has been ruled out with illness since Liverpool's last clash with Chelsea on January 31 - another 4-1 triumph.

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After their most recent victory, Klopp laid out his battle plan for Wembley. "As long as we have 11 players, we will go for it," the Liverpool boss declared. "Will we be big favourites? Definitely not. Since we played them [Chelsea], they have improved a lot and it will be tricky, this was exceptional tonight."

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Jurgen Klopp has limited options

Klopp brought on youngsters Jayden Danns, James McConnell and Bobby Clark against Luton, and they're in with a chance of featuring in Sunday's final. "I'm so happy that all the kids came on and played," Klopp continued. "Dannsy said 50 times, 'Thank you, boss!' I'm so happy that I could give him that opportunity, the boys deserve it. But obviously for us there are now a lot of super-important games coming up, and we don't know, we go day by day.

"I cannot say anything about it and I don't know. But after Brentford I had no clue the situation would be like it was now. So, let's see. There's one phrase that stands: as long as we have 11, we will go for it. That's all I can promise."

Likely Liverpool XI vs Chelsea: Kelleher; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; MacAllister, Endo, Gravenberch; Elliott, Gakpo, Diaz.

David Anderson