Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield tonight in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
The tie was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was moved forward 24 hours due to a scheduling conflict caused by Everton’s cup fixture falling on the same evening.
UK ONLY
Andoni Iraola’s side come into the match having beaten Atletico Madrid in the Champions League before dropping points in a goalless draw with Fulham in the Premier League, which leaves them seventh in the table.
Having drawn two of their last three home fixtures, the competition carries added significance as the club looks to regain momentum at Anfield.
Tottenham arrive in difficult circumstances of their own. Roberto De Zerbi’s side have failed to score in four league games and sit in 17th place, despite a busy summer in the transfer market.
They did put five past Charlton in the previous round, with summer signing Savio scoring and assisting on his debut, but their league form has been a concern.
The game also marks a swift reunion with Andy Robertson, who left Liverpool upon the expiry of his contract before joining Spurs as a free agent.
As the competition’s most successful club with 10 titles, Liverpool supporters have always taken the League Cup seriously.
Joe Fagan, Rafa Benitez, Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot all reached the final in their first season at the club, and Iraola, who has just one trophy to his name as a manager, the 2018 Cypriot Super Cup won on penalties with AEK Larnaca, will be hoping to follow that tradition.
Away from tonight’s cup tie, the club confirmed a piece of academy business that has been months in the making.
Liverpool have officially signed 19-year-old Hungarian midfielder Patrik Farkas, who rejoins the club at U21 level after four years away with Blackburn Rovers.
Farkas initially joined Liverpool from Kecskemeti TE in Hungary in 2021 but moved on after a single season.
He developed through Blackburn’s academy and gained senior experience on loan with local sides City of Liverpool FC and Prescot Cables before leaving Ewood Park when his contract expired this summer.
His departure led to an extended trial with Liverpool’s U21s throughout pre-season.
The club confirmed his registration ahead of Monday’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham U21s, with Farkas making the matchday squad for the first time in a competitive fixture.
He was not called upon by Page but is expected to feature regularly as the season progresses, particularly given his versatility across midfield positions.
Liverpool’s U21 engine room required significant reinforcement heading into this season, with Tommy Pilling and Luca Stephenson among those departing before the campaign began.
Farkas brings experience of Premier League 2 football and arrives at no transfer cost.
He becomes the fifth Hungarian on Liverpool’s books, joining Milos Kerkez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Armin Pecsi, and his younger brother Erik at Kirkby.
Erik, who recently turned 17, is part of Liverpool’s U18s after signing a scholarship deal in the summer and has made a bright start to the new season, scoring twice and registering an assist in his first two U18 Premier League appearances.
A first professional contract is expected to follow in due course.
Support DaveOCKOP and enjoy the site completely ad-free. You’ll get an uninterrupted browsing experience while helping us continue to deliver the latest Liverpool news, breaking stories and exclusives. Go ad-free today.