MatchSouthampton v Liverpool: Carabao Cup team news

Andy Robertson serves a one-match ban following his sending-off against Fulham at the weekend, while Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate remain unavailable for the trip to St Mary's through injury.

Kostas Tsimikas has missed the last six matches but was expected to train with the team on the eve of the tie.

Slot, who himself will serve a touchline ban for the game, admitted during his pre-match press conference he also needs to consider the recent workload of his players.

He said: "It's going to be a game where not all of our starters will start, so we have to manage minutes.

"If we want to use a few starters not for 90 minutes, we have to balance. I can only make five substitutions. So the ones that make minutes and go off maybe at half-time can't be more than five because you can only make five substitutions."

The Dutchman later added: "I am aware of the fact that we have only four defenders available and probably the ones that have started a lot of times will not play 90 minutes for sure and maybe not even at all.

"So, it's going to be either Academy players that are going to get playing time or it's going to be players that nobody would expect to see in the last line that are going to play in the last line tomorrow."

The Reds can, however, welcome back Alexis Mac Allister, having served his back-to-back suspensions in the Champions League and Premier League.

Slot did confirm Caoimhin Kelleher is set to start in goal on the south coast and that Federico Chiesa is likely to see some action.

Diogo Jota made a goalscoring return at Anfield on Saturday and could be involved again – but only from the bench.

"Diogo would have been definitely one that it was ideal for him to play, but after the [Fulham] game he wasn't completely fit, so he didn't train with us yesterday," the head coach said on Tuesday. "Let's see if he can train with us today.

"Don't expect him to start. Hopefully he can make some minutes, but don't expect him to start tomorrow."

Wataru Endo and Jarell Quansah are walking the disciplinary tightrope in the competition and a yellow card would see them suspended for the first leg of the semi-final if Liverpool advance.

The current holders will come up against a side managed by Simon Rusk, who was placed in interim charge of Saints on Sunday after they parted company with Russell Martin.

Rusk will be without captain Jack Stephens and Adam Armstrong as they are suspended.

But Aaron Ramsdale recently shared optimism about being able to make his comeback in this match following a fractured finger.

The goalkeeper has been on the sidelines with Gavin Bazunu, Ross Stewart, Will Smallbone and Juan Larios.

"No fresh injuries," Rusk, speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, shared. "I think it'll be as is normal.

"We have a few players on their way back and that's an ongoing situation. I'm sure over the next 24 hours we'll hopefully get some news on the guys who might be close."

Last match

Southampton 0-5 Tottenham Hotspur (December 15): McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Manning, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Downes, Aribo, Dibling, Sulemana, Fernandes, Armstrong.

Liverpool 2-2 Fulham (December 14): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.