Liverpool take on Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, with a host of changes expected for the Reds.
Southampton vs. Liverpool
Carabao Cup Quarter-Final | St Mary’s
December 18, 2024 | 8pm (GMT)
Arne Slot‘s side have stumbled a little in recent weeks, drawing back-to-back games in the Premier League.
Carabao Cup commitments are up next for Liverpool, as they visit a beleaguered Southampton side.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game.
1. Both managers missing!
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 24, 2024: Southampton's manager Russell Martin during the FA Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary's Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Southampton‘s 5-0 defeat to home to Tottenham on Sunday made for painful viewing – that was the score at half-time! – and it proved fatal for Russell Martin.
There were deafening boos from the home crowd and the writing was on the wall for the Englishman, who was sacked after the game.
Saints under-21s manager Simon Rusk will take Martin’s place in the dugout against Liverpool, taking temporary charge.
Liverpool will also be without Slot in the dugout, with the Dutchman serving a one-match suspension after a third yellow card on Saturday against Fulham.
Sipke Hulshoff will be in his spot.
2. Slot must look at bigger picture
2YX8FA7 Liverpool's Diogo Jota, left, celebrates with Liverpool's Darwin Nunez after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool should always be looking to win every competition, but there’s no ignoring the fact that Premier League commitments take precedence this season.
Long domestic cup runs in recent years have seen the Reds run out of steam in the spring, so key players cannot afford to be overplayed.
Those two final wins against Chelsea in 2021/22 were thrilling, but did Liverpool miss out on league glory because of the physical toll of both runs?
This isn’t to say that Liverpool should be sacrificing the Carabao Cup, but there are bigger fish to fry in the coming months.
3. Who’s out?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 14, 2024: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate are the most noticeable longer-term absentees for Liverpool, with pair still not back in training.
Diogo Jota should be in the squad but will not start, because he didn’t feel 100 percent fit after scoring in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at home to Fulham.
Kostas Tsimikas has been stepping up his recovery from an ankle injury, however, and he is “close” to returning to the fold, says Slot.
Andy Robertson is suspended after his red card at home to Fulham.
4. Possible Liverpool XI
GIRONA, SPAIN - Tuesday, December 10, 2024: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott during the UEFA Champions League game between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at the Estadi Montilivi. Liverpool won 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
As mentioned, we should expect to see a much-changed Liverpool XI on Wednesday evening.
Amaro Nallo and James Norris could come into the team at centre-back and left-back, respectively, with Caoimhin Kelleher behind them in goal.
Alexis Mac Allister is back after missing Liverpool’s last two games with European and domestic bans and should start alongside Wataru Endo and Tyler Morton.
This could be a great time to give Federico Chiesa much-needed minutes, while Jayden Danns will hope to feature after his recent injury return.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Nallo, Norris; Endo, Morton, Mac Allister; Elliott, Diaz, Nunez
5. How strong will Southampton go?
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 24, 2024: Southampton's Mateus Fernandes (R) is challenged by Liverpool's Darwin Núñez (L) during the FA Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary's Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Southampton are stuck between a rock and a hard place, with a response needed after their humiliation against Spurs, but players needing a rest.
For that reason, it will be interesting to see how strong Rusk’s starting lineup is.
Key man Aaron Ramsdale looks likely to return in goal, following an injury absence, but Jack Stephens is serving the last of a three-match ban.
Martin picked a strong side in the last round at home to Stoke, with the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Mateus Fernandes and Adam Armstrong all starting.
6. Chiesa in line to earn minutes
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Slot explained his potential use of Chiesa:
“It’s definitely a moment where he can get minutes. The amount of minutes is a question mark
“You cannot expect for him to play 90, I think, especially not at this level where the intensity is so high, because he’s been out for five, six months now.
“But he will, if he has a good training session, make minutes.”
7. St Mary’s dominance to continue?
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 24, 2024: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah takes off his shirt as he celebrates after scoring the winning third goal during the FA Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary's Stadium. Liverpool won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool know that victory over Saints will make it five wins in a row at St Mary’s in front of supporters.
The Reds lost 1-0 there back in January 2021, but did football behind closed doors really even count?!
The highlights from the last time we faced Southampton at St Mary's in the quarter-finals of the @Carabao_Cup ??? pic.twitter.com/kQ9PrCKzUf
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 16, 2024
The last time Liverpool were beaten at St Mary’s in a ‘proper’ game was in January 2017, when Nathan Redmond’s goal earned the hosts a 1-0 win in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
Meanwhile, the Reds won 6-1 at St Mary’s in this competition in December 2015, even though Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Saints.
8. Did you know?
Virgil van Dijk captain of Liverpool with the Carabao Cup trophy and the player of the match trophy the Carabao Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 25, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool are aiming to reach a 20th League Cup semi-final on Wednesday, which would be a record in the competition.
This is the Reds’ 26th quarter-final in the tournament’s history, too.
Meanwhile, this is the eighth time that Liverpool and Southampton have been drawn together in the League Cup, which includes the semi-finals in 1987 and 2017.
Virgil van Dijk started for Saints in the first leg of the latter.
9. Not Simon Hooper again!
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - Monday, May 13, 2024: Referee Simon Hooper reacts as he produces another performance full of errors during the FA Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Liverpool FC at Villa Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Simon Hooper will take charge of Wednesday’s game.
He was the referee for last season’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat at Tottenham when Curtis Jones was harshly sent off and Luis Diaz saw a goal wrong disallowed.
Hooper’s only Liverpool game so far this term was the 1-0 win away to Crystal Palace back in October.
His assistants at St Mary’s will be Adrian Holmes and Simon Long, while Josh Smith is the fourth official.
10. Follow the game with TIA
BRIGHTON & HOVE, ENGLAND - Wednesday, October 30, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot after the Football League Cup 4th Round match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Liverpool FC at the AMEX Community Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Southampton vs. Liverpool is live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm (GMT), with kickoff at 8pm.
This Is Anfield‘s matchday live blog will be in full swing as usual, with Sam Millne keeping you up to date with the action from 7.15pm.
Come on you Reds!