Liverpool return to Anfield on Tuesday evening for the third time in a week, with Tottenham Hotspur the visitors in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Andoni Iraola’s side head into the tie on the back of a goalless draw with Fulham at the weekend, and the head coach has already signalled changes to his starting line-up.
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Giorgi Mamardashvili is confirmed to start in goal, with at least one further alteration expected from the XI that began Saturday’s game.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Iraola addressed the toll of a relentless fixture schedule.
“I think it [the workload] has to affect, definitely, because it’s the third game,” he said. “It’s the worst scenario – it’s game, two days, game, two days, game.”
The Liverpool boss added that the calendar offers little respite before the trip to Tottenham reciprocates in the league, though some relief follows this fixture.
“In terms of the schedule, we haven’t been lucky because it’s true that after this one we have a little bit more [time] before we play Bournemouth,” he said, comparing it to the longer gap the squad had between facing Ipswich and Atletico Madrid.
While Liverpool manage their squad rotation, Tottenham arrive at Anfield with selection problems of their own.
Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that Sandro Tonali, signed from Newcastle United for £100 million in the summer, will miss the tie after picking up a knock.
“No Sandro Tonali, he felt a knock,” De Zerbi told his pre-match press conference.
The Italian midfielder has started all four of Tottenham’s Premier League matches this season, though he was left out of the EFL Cup second-round win over Charlton Athletic in August.
Tonali is not De Zerbi’s only absentee. Dejan Kulusevski (knee) and Pedro Porro (muscle) remain unavailable, and there has been no change to Richarlison’s situation after he was left out of Tottenham’s Premier League squad. Destiny Udogie has recovered from a minor muscular issue and is available for selection.
“Kulusevski not available, Pedro still not available,” De Zerbi said. “Udogie, yes.”
Tottenham arrive at Anfield out of form, having taken just two points from their opening four Premier League games this season, with Saturday’s goalless draw at home to Everton the latest setback. Their only victory of the campaign so far came in the EFL Cup, a 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic.
With Sandro Tonali absent, De Zerbi is expected to turn to Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur or Lucas Bergvall in midfield, while Archie Gray could deputise at right-back in Porro’s absence.
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