Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has been speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup clash at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday
Andoni Iraola (LFCTV)
Andoni Iraola (LFCTV)
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Andoni Iraola has confirmed Giorgi Mamardashvili will start the Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur as he prepares to make wholesale changes to his Liverpool team.
The Reds entertain the Londoners at Anfield in the third round on Tuesday evening as they begin their quest to lift the trophy for a record-breaking 11th time.
Mamardashvili hasn't yet featured under Iraola this season but was previously regarded the League Cup goalkeeper under Arne Slot with Alisson Becker having only ever played twice in the competition in eight years at the club.
And Iraola - who previously tried to sign Mamardashvili at Bournemouth - will continue the policy and has hinted at heavily rotating his line-up for a third game in seven days.
"Will I change the goalkeeper? Yes," said the Liverpool boss on Monday. "Alisson is proven, he is playing very well.
"I also rate Giorgi very highly, I know him from his years in Spain. I told him we tried to sign him for Bournemouth before I came here, and for me he is a very good goalkeeper. He is going to start tomorrow.
"We will see tomorrow players we haven't seen still and I am very looking forward to seeing them. I feel they are going to play well or they can help us and they still haven't had the chance yet."
Youngsters Trey Nyoni, Lewis Koumas, Luke Chambers and James McConnell are all pressing for a start while there is expected to be rotation in other areas with Milos Kerkez, Alexis Mac Allister, Jeremie Frimpong, Rio Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo likely to be involved.
And Iraola has revealed Joe Gomez, who returned to full training last week after six weeks out with a muscle problem, also has a chance of playing.
".Joe (Gomez) is training with the team and I think he is going to be available for tomorrow," he said. "It's a matter of deciding how much he can play."
The Liverpool boss also offered an update on Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni, both of whom remain sidelined after suffering serious knee injuries last season.
"He (Bradley) is not close to training with the team," said Iraola. "He is training alone but he has started touching the ball. We want him back as quick as possible ready but it's a long-term injury.
"(Giovanni) Leoni is a little bit ahead of him. It is going to take some time for Conor."