Liverpool are next up against Bournemouth in the Premier League with Andoni Iraola facing some selection posers
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola during the League Cup third round match against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on September 15 2026
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola during the League Cup third round match against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on September 15 2026
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Well, that was much more like it. Liverpool banished the blues of a dismal weekend when a much-changed side won through to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday evening.
Andoni Iraola remains unbeaten in the Anfield hotseat but now faces perhaps the most emotionally difficult game of his tenure when he makes a first return to former club Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
And here we look ahead to the changes the Reds head coach could make when his team are next in action.
Right-back poser
Iraola made 10 changes for the Carabao Cup game and although there are five days between the tie and the trip to the South Coast, there are likely to be sweeping alterations once again.
Despite a good performance, Giorgi Mamardashvili will make way for Alisson Becker between the sticks with new dad Freddie Woodman third choice.
At left-back, Milos Kerkez has won the place again ahead of Kostas Tsimikas. There is, though, a decision to make at right-back where Jeremie Frimpong was much more solid than of late against Tottenham when replacing Ronald Araujo. Conor Bradley remains out.
With Virgil van Dijk given the evening off, Araujo lined up at centre-back in midweek alongside Joe Gomez, who came through 45 minutes on his return from injury.
Van Dijk will return for the trip to Bournemouth with Jeremy Jacquet, a half-time replacement for Gomez on Tuesday, having become his first-choice partner. Giovanni Leoni is edging nearer a return to full training after almost a year out with a serious knee problem.
Gravenberch benched again?
There was a new-look midfield against Tottenham with Trey Nyoni the deeper of the two central figures alongside Alexis Mac Allister, while James McConnell operated as the number 10.
While Florian Wirtz, another to be rested completely, will be favourite to step back into the attacking role, the other two positions aren't quite so clear-cut.
Nyoni's performance has strengthened claims for a first Premier League start while Mac Allister has been the form midfielder for Liverpool so far this season, meaning it may well be between Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai to partner the Argentina international.
Wataru Endo was again on the bench in midweek but still hasn't featured for a minute under Iraola.
Isak primed
Iraola has plenty of options up front, bolstered further by the continued emergence of Lewis Koumas, who impressed as the number nine against Spurs.
Alexander Isak, though, will be expected to come back in, although who starts out wide is less certain.
Both Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha were influential on Tuesday but, with Iraola having stated he will regularly rotate his wingers, there will be significant minutes for whoever starts with Victor Munoz and Bradley Barcola also pushing.
Federico Chiesa has been absent with a back issue while youngsters Jayden Danns and Will Wright have been progressing with the under-21s this week. Hugo Ekitike remains out.