Liverpool and Chelsea could be without several players for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash.
Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday night in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, with the Reds looking to continue their pursuit of silverware after beating Tottenham Hotspur to reach this stage.
Florian Wirtz impressed alongside Bradley Barcola and Alexander Isak in Liverpool’s win over Brighton over the weekend, although he later limped off with an ankle knock.
However, the German is not expected to be sidelined for long after Andoni Iraola replaced him with Trey Nyoni while Liverpool were already 2-0 ahead.
Iraola suggested after the match that Wirtz’s injury was not serious, offering hope that the playmaker could feature in one of Liverpool’s two upcoming home fixtures.
Victor Munoz also missed the Brighton victory but watched from the stands as his teammates secured all three points. The winger sustained a knock against Brentford, where he impressed and scored just over a week ago.
Iraola had not completely ruled him out ahead of the weekend, although he admitted Munoz was still experiencing some pain. His return could therefore be imminent.
Dominik Szoboszlai is another player who is not expected to be out for long. The Hungary captain returned too soon from a minor injury, and Liverpool intend to be patient with his recovery.
Jeremie Frimpong, meanwhile, is facing a longer spell on the sidelines after limping off against Brentford. The Dutchman is unlikely to return before the November international break, which follows Liverpool’s meeting with Crystal Palace.
Giovanni Leoni could resume team training around that time after spending more than a year out, although the centre-back will be eased back into action. Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike are also long-term absentees who are edging closer to returning.
Chelsea will be without Cole Palmer, who is serving a one-match suspension. Joao Pedro is also a doubt after missing the match against Tottenham Hotspur through injury.
Emiliano Martinez is sidelined with a jaw injury sustained against Everton, while Pep Chavarria, Jamie Gittens and Emmanuel Emegha are also unavailable. Reece James remains out following knee surgery.
Liverpool and Chelsea have faced each other six times in the Carabao Cup, with both sides recording three wins each. Their most memorable recent encounters came in the final, with Liverpool beating Chelsea in both the 2022 and 2024 editions.
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