Arne Slot looks on prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield on December 14, 2024
(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Liverpool defence of the League Cup takes them to the south coast this week where they will face Southampton in the quarter-final stage. The Reds won the competition for a record 10th time with an incredible victory over Chelsea earlier this year and have already beaten Brighton and West Ham this season.
But having put in a tireless effort to play 70 minutes on Saturday with just 10 men after Andy Robertson's early sending off against Fulham, Arne Slot's squad has been stretched thin by fixtures and a number of injuries.
And with Liverpool top of the Premier League and Champions League, the question of just how seriously they should take the Carabao Cup now is a pertinent one:
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Paul Gorst: For all the cold realities of Wednesday's quarter-final being the least of the two important assignments for Liverpool this week, there are dozens of memories of February's Carabao Cup win that come flooding in.
Few who witnessed the inexperienced Reds side beat Chelsea at Wembley that day will forget them in a hurry and those who turned their noses up at it 'only' being the League Cup were not worthy of engaging seriously. It was a famous afternoon that was celebrated as much as any other trophy won during Jurgen Klopp's time.
That being said, with the Premier League title charge just being slowed somewhat by successive draws to Newcastle and Fulham either side of a Merseyside derby postponement, there is a legitimate theory around putting all the eggs in Sunday's trip to Tottenham. A passage to the last four sounds enticing for Arne Slot but if he could win only one game this week, it will be in London and not Southampton.
With managerless Southampton now without Russell Martin taking charge, it remains to be seen how important the Saints hierarchy view this game themselves considering Premier League survival is their major aim now for this troubled campaign. As a result, Liverpool could benefit from that but in the same way Klopp was forced to trust his youth players in the final itself, Slot might be tempted to do the same for this last-eight tie, while also handing much-needed minutes for players like Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa.
In the grander scheme of things, giving the aforementioned trio as well as a returning Alexis Mac Allister the chance to play themselves into some sort of rhythm is an important subplot to this fixture
Theo Squires: Should Liverpool beat Southampton on Wednesday night, another trip to Wembley will start to come into sight. Arne Slot absolutely has to be taking the Reds’ League Cup quarter-final clash as seriously as possible.
By all means, rotate in midfield and attack. There is enough quality in the ranks for Liverpool to still be favourites against the Saints even if it’s all-change from the Dutchman, with the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota vying to start.
Defensively, it is slightly more complicated given the Reds’ well-documented injury woes. Slot could turn to Amara Nallo or James Norris if he wishes to rest legs, given he only has four senior defenders available. But it’s a quarter-final. If you’re in it, you might as well go all out to win it.
Southampton have struggled badly this season and will have caretaker manager Simon Rusk in charge at St. Mary’s. It remains to be seen if the Saints are already quietly resigned to Premier League relegation so fully commit to progressing in the League Cup instead, or prioritise their top-flight commitments.
But either way, Liverpool should have more than enough to see off the Saints. Enjoying three days’ grace either side of their trip to St. Mary’s, this game is not an inconvenience either - even with the festive period looming.
The Reds are the reigning League Cup holders and, let’s be honest, should be eyeing up a possible record 11th win in the competition after getting to this stage of the tournament. The chance for the Slot to lift his first trophy since succeeding Jurgen Klopp is within grasp, his Liverpool side have to be giving it their all to make such a prospect a reality.
Joe Rimmer: No team is too big to turn its nose up at the chance of silverware and the disregarding of the Carabao Cup by so many teams who don't regularly lift trophies is one of the biggest mysteries of modern football.
And with Liverpool now in the quarter-final stage, another trip to Wembley is within their grasp.
That said, a remarkable opportunity has opened up for Liverpool this season and it's one Arne Slot simply cannot ignore. This was meant to be a season of transition for the Reds as Slot bedded in as Jurgen Klopp's replacement, but the incredible fall from grace of Manchester City and Arsenal's inability to kick on has given Liverpool the chance to win the Premier League title.
And Liverpool supporters know more than most how long you sometimes have to wait for an opportunity of this sort.
It's why Slot simply has to rotate his side for the trip to Southampton, with starting berths for youngsters and fridge players - the few Liverpool have - a must. That's not to overlook the managerless Saints but Liverpool simply don't have the squad to keep going at the pace they have been twice a week.
Liverpool found that out the hard way last season and they cannot allow themselves to be caught by the chasing pack in the league due to exhaustion.
The Champions League fixtures and FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley will provide further opportunities for rotation but it must start at Southampton on Wednesday night.