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Liverpool suffered a hammer blow before they face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Arne Slot has admitted Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to miss Liverpool's Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United.
The Reds vice-captain was forced off in the Champions League penalty shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Alexander-Arnold appeared to sustain an ankle issue as Liverpool exited Europe's elite club competition. The last-16 tie finished 1-1 after two legs and extra-time but PSG held their nerve to win 4-1 on penalties.
Slot’s side can now only win two trophies this season. They are on course to be crowned Premier League champions but will first aim to claim Carabao Cup glory at Wembley on Sunday.
What’s been said
Alexander-Arnold is set to be absent when the Reds face Newcastle, although Ibrahima Konate - also substituted against PSG in discomfort - could be available after suffering fatigue in extra-time. Liverpool head coach Slot said at his post-match press conference: “I have to ask but for me Ibou was more that he was tired than it was an injury. With Trent, he had to come off. That’s never a good sign.
“And from what I heard from people that saw the images or how he got injured, that didn’t look very good. So I would be surprised if he is available for Sunday.” “The good thing is we play a final on Sunday, so mentally that’s probably the best you can ask for, because this is what we are playing football for: to play finals.
“And then there are two-and-a-half weeks in between before we start the season again. And if we can play nine times with this intensity – and the ones we play at home with the same intensity from the fans as well – then I am really looking forward to the end of the season.”
Bradley and Gomez returns
It means that Liverpool are likely to head to Wembley without any of their three right-back options. Conor Bradley has served deputy to Alexander-Arnold this season and is an established Premier League player. In last year’s Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea, Bradley started the game with Alexander-Arnold absent.
The 22-year-old has been unavailable since suffering a hamstring injury in a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on 19 February. Slot admitted the following week that Bradley was set to be out for ‘a while’. And given that he has been omitted from Northern Ireland’s squad for friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden later this month, it’s a clear indication that Bradley will not be available to face Newcastle.
Gomez, meanwhile, is absent for a long-term period with a hamstring issue. The versatile defender had surgery last month, having sustained a recurrence of his issue in the shock 1-0 loss to Plymouth in the FA Cup at the end of January. There is hope that Gomez will be available for the remaining few weeks of the campaign.
As a result, it means that Jarell Quansah is likely to operate as a makeshift full-back against Newcastle. The 22-year-old featured in the role when the Reds drew 3-3 with the Magpies at St James’ Park earlier this season.