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Liverpool may have only four defenders available for their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Southampton.
The Reds head into the Carabao Cup quarter-final at St Mary’s on Wednesday with potentially just four defenders available. Andy Robertson must serve a one-match ban after his red card in last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Fulham.
Meanwhile, Conor Bradley (hamstring) and Ibrahima Konate (knee) are still not fit. Kostas Tsimikas could train before the game, having missed the previous six matches, but remains a doubt.
What’s more, Slot has admitted that he wants to rest regular starters such as captain Virgil van Dijk and vice-skipper Trent Alexander-Arnold against Southampton. That would leave Joe Gomez, who has been deputising for Konate, and Jarell Quansah as the only other options.
Amara Nallo, an 18-year-old centre-back, has been training with Slot’s first team lately. So too has James Norris, 21, who is the next available left-back should Tsimikas not be back in time. Slot suggested both could feature but he hasn’t ruled out playing some senior members of his squad out of position.
The Anfield head coach said: “It’s very positive [his general impression of the club's younger players]. You talk about these two now but I think we have a few others that have made a good impact in our training sessions until now.
“We have also used them, like Trey [Nyoni] has been used already in the League Cup. 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.”
Nallo joined Liverpool from West Ham United in the summer of 2023. While at the Hammers, he was described as a ‘Rolls Royce’ by under-16 coach Carlton Cole. Former Chelsea striker Cole said: I would describe Amara as a Rolls Royce of a centre-back. He has a great left foot and is elegant when he moves with the ball. He can play the ball with both feet and has been working on his heading as well. He's a player who has a high ceiling."
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