Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo
Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo(Image: Karl Bridgeman - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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Liverpool will get their Carabao Cup campaign underway on Tuesday evening when they face Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the third round at Anfield.
It will be the Reds third home game in seven days but Andoni Iraola will be hoping for a better showing than the one he witnessed in the dour goalless Premier League draw with Fulham last Saturday.
The Spanish head coach is expected to make a raft of team line-up changes as he tries to make the best use of his squad ahead of the Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Sunday.
Iraola has already confirmed goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will start the match and hinted Joe Gomez is in contention for a return to first-team action, but what will his starting XI be? The ECHO's writers have had their say.
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Ian Doyle
Only one thing is guaranteed from this evening. And that's both teams will make wholesale changes to their starting line-ups.
For Liverpool, it is required given the growing number of games they are playing this season. What, then, is Reds boss Andoni Iraola to do?
In goal, we know it's Giorgi Mamardashvili. And it's probably worth giving Kostas Tsimikas another go at left-back. Joe Gomez can have at least the first half alongside Ronald Araujo at centre-back, while Jeremie Frimpong returns at right-back.
In midfield, it's a lot more tricky. Wataru Endo is due a start and Trey Nyoni certainly is, so they can be the defensive pairing with Alexis Mac Allister operating in a more advanced role.
Lewis Koumas can also have a start on the right wing, with Rio Ngumoha on the opposite flank and Cody Gakpo completing the attack down the middle.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Araujo, Gomez, Tsimikas; Nyoni, Endo; Koumas, Mac Allister; Ngumoha; Gakpo.
Theo Squires
Andoni Iraola has confirmed he’ll rotate his side against Tottenham, and already revealed that Giorgi Mamardashvili will start in goal.
I’d be taking the opportunity to rest both Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet against Spurs. And while Joe Gomez is now back fit, I’d limit him to substitute duty, seeing as he pulled up only minutes into his first pre-season outing.
Consequently, Ronald Araujo can move central and start in his favoured position and be partnered by Wataru Endo. Kostas Tsimikas gets another chance at left-back, while Jeremie Frimpong returns on the opposing flank.
In midfield, Trey Nyoni is handed his first start of the season and can partner Ryan Gravenberch.
Lewis Koumas gets the nod at number 10 with Victor Munoz continuing on the right and Rio Ngumoha returning on the left. Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo can start upfront as Alexander Isak is afforded a night off.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Araujo, Endo, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Nyoni; Munoz, Koumas, Ngumoha; Gakpo.
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Mark Jones
Saturday provided more than enough evidence that there are players in this Liverpool squad who have completely lost their confidence, so this game could provide an opportunity for that to return to some of them at least.
Kostas Tsimikas and Jeremie Frimpong are two such players, and they can start in the full-back positions either side of Ronald Araujo and Joe Gomez. Araujo could do with a start in his actual position, and someone needs to captain the side so Gomez is in too. If he can't do 90 minutes than Luke Chambers will be in reserve.
Ryan Gravenberch gets another go in the centre of midfield and can do an hour before Wataru Endo is unleashed, and Trey Nyoni is probably everyone's first name on the teamsheet next to him.
Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha begin on the wings, then Lewis Koumas gets a deserved start off Cody Gakpo, who he can replace at No.9 on the hour if needed.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Araujo, Gomez, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Nyoni; Munoz, Koumas, Ngumoha; Gakpo.
Richard Garnett
There's no doubt that Iraola will make a number of changes to his starting line-up for this fixture, but he would be making a big mistake if he thought that paying supporters would settle for the type of team that was thrashed 3-0 by Crystal Palace in the same competition last season.
With that in mind, I'm keeping some core players in the side in the knowledge that there are five days before the trip to Bournemouth. Georgi Mamardashvili starts in goal, with Jeremy Frimpong recalled at right-back. Jeremy Jaquet can be afforded a rest for this one with Ronal Araujo shifted over into his more familiar centre-back position. Virgil van Dijk partners the former Barcelona captain in the centre of defence.
Picking a Liverpool left-back at the moment is a bit like choosing between a long taxi queue in the rain or a rail replacement bus, but I'm going with Kostas Tsimikas for this one.
Liverpool's midfielders came in for plenty of flack at the weekend, so I've no qualms about shaking things up a bit in the middle for this. Wataro Endo can be partnered with Trey Nyoni in the deeper engine room berths, whilst Alexi Mac Allister moves into the No. 10 role.
On the flanks, I'll go with Rio Ngumoha on the left and Victor Munoz on the right, with Bradley Barcola primed for a second-half introduction. There are limited options down the middle if Alexander Isak could do with a rest, but Cody Gakpo gets the nod ahead of Lewis Koumas.