Liverpool will begin their Carabao Cup campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night as Andoni Iraola looks to guide his side into the next round of the competition. The third-round tie will take place at Anfield, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm BST.
The fixture comes after a demanding spell for Liverpool, who played three matches in the space of eight days. They followed a 2-0 Premier League win at Ipswich Town with a 2-1 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid before being held to a goalless draw by Fulham at Anfield on Saturday.
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Iraola acknowledged that Liverpool lacked freshness against Fulham after their European commitments. The Spaniard made three changes for that game, bringing Victor Munoz, Ryan Gravenberch and Kostas Tsimikas into the starting XI.
The Carabao Cup tie now gives Iraola another chance to manage his squad as Liverpool prepare for another midweek fixture. Tottenham will arrive at Anfield after being held to a 0-0 draw by Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.
Iraola has now provided a significant update ahead of the game, confirming that Joe Gomez is available for selection after returning to training with the team.
“Joe is training with the team and is available for tomorrow. It’s a matter of deciding how much he can play,” Iraola said ahead of the Tottenham clash.
The update represents a boost for Liverpool, with Gomez having missed the opening part of the season because of a muscle problem.
DaveOCKOP revealed earlier this month that Gomez is close to full fitness.
Gomez was injured during Liverpool’s pre-season victory over Sunderland in July and was forced off during the match. The defender subsequently missed the start of the competitive campaign while recovering from the issue.
His return gives Iraola another defensive option for a match in which Liverpool are expected to make further changes following their recent run of fixtures.
However, the Liverpool head coach has not yet decided whether Gomez is ready to start or whether he will be introduced from the bench.
That decision will depend on how much football Iraola believes Gomez can handle on his return.
The manager’s comments indicate that the defender is fit enough to be considered, but his potential workload remains under discussion.
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FK Mladost Lucani stadium
FK Mladost Lucani stadium