MatchLiverpool v West Ham United: Carabao Cup team news
Arne Slot is considering changes for Liverpool’s Carabao Cup clash with West Ham United and Federico Chiesa is pushing for a first start.
The Reds begin their defence of the trophy they won last season by hosting the Hammers in an 8pm BST kick-off at Anfield on Wednesday night.
This game is the fourth of seven in a 22-day period for Slot’s men, and ahead of it the head coach discussed the possibility of using the depth of his squad.
He said on Tuesday: “We will play with the best possible team and that can sometimes also mean that other players that have played a lot are maybe a bit more tired. So that means because the differences are so small, that I will select different players for this game.
“They will come in today and we will look at how fit they are, and then I will make the decision who is going to start and who isn’t.”
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Watch on YouTubeGoalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher will definitely be in the XI, continuing between the posts for the third-round encounter having shut out AFC Bournemouth last weekend.
Alisson Becker remains sidelined with the injury that forced him to miss that defeat of the Cherries, with Slot reporting: “Alisson is getting there but I think this game is coming just a bit too early and we are looking at the weekend against Wolves, but it’s going to be tight so let’s see if he manages to be there.”
New forward Chiesa was a substitute against both AC Milan and Bournemouth last week and is now ready for his first Liverpool start, if selected.
“He is able to start, in our opinion, and if he will, let’s see. There are many options we have,” Slot said of the Italian during his pre-match press conference.
“But he is able to start, in our opinion, but I don’t think he is able to play 90 at the level we are playing tomorrow against a strong West Ham team.”
The boss was also asked whether Trey Nyoni could be involved versus West Ham, with the U21s also in Bristol Street Motors Trophy action on Tuesday evening.
“Let’s see first how everybody comes in this morning and then we make a plan for every individual, where he is going to play and if they are going to play,” he replied.
“The way I look at it now, it would be a fair chance for him to be in our squad instead of being with the U21s, but it also depends on how fit all the other players are.”
Harvey Elliott is currently ruled out due to injury.
West Ham, meanwhile, have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the trip north to Anfield, and are assessing striker Niclas Fullkrug’s potential to return.
“I think that today we will see that Niclas Fullkrug is better too,” head coach Julen Lopetegui told the media on Tuesday. “Yesterday he trained and today he will too. Then we will see his level, ahead of the game tomorrow.”
Lopetegui, who confirmed Lukasz Fabianski will take the goalkeeper’s gloves for the tie, was also asked about his plans to rotate his team.
“We’re going to try to be balanced, so we can compete at our best tomorrow,” he said. “We’re focused on the game tomorrow – the first aim for us now is Anfield, and we have to be 100 per cent concentrated on that. All of the squad have to be ready.”
Last match
Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth (September 21): Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
West Ham 0-3 Chelsea (September 21): Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Rodriguez, Alvarez, Paqueta, Kudus, Summerville, Bowen.
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