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Trent Alexander-Arnold is a major doubt to feature against Newcastle United on Sunday at Wembley.
The England international was helped off the field during Liverpool’s defeat to PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday night, putting his participation in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final in major doubt. With Conor Bradley also sidelined, injury for the 26-year-old could force Slot into naming a makeshift defence on Sunday - particularly if Ibrahima Konate is also not deemed fit enough to feature.
The Frenchman was also withdrawn from proceedings prematurely in midweek, although there is hope from Merseyside that he will be fit enough to start against the Magpies. Newcastle United, meanwhile, also have their fair share of injury concerns with Lewis Hall and Sven Botman ruled-out of the final last week after undergoing surgery on a foot injury and knee injury respectively.
Jamaal Lascelles remains out with an ACL injury, whilst Anthony Gordon will also miss the final as he serves the second game of a three-match ban following his red card against Brighton. Ahead of Sunday’s final, the Shields Gazette spoke to Will Rooney of Liverpool World to get the lowdown on injury news from the Reds, whether either of Alexander-Arnold or Konate will feature at Wembley, how Slot will react to those injuries and how news of Newcastle United’s absences have gone down on Merseyside:
What's the latest on Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate’s injuries?
WR: “I think the way Trent Alexander-Arnold went off, it's unlikely he's going to be involved. He went down in a fair bit of pain and needed several minutes of treatment and was forced off the field.
“He'd be quite disappointed to go off because he also missed the Carabao Cup final last year, so that's a successive Wembley appearance he's going to miss out on. I think ankle injuries, sometimes you are worried with the pain because they can be quite sore, but they may be not as bad, whereas sometimes players go off with knee injuries and it ends up being an ACL tear, but I would suspect that he's going to be out.
“Konate, Arne Slot seems to hope that he's going to be fit. It seems like he's going to be fine.
“He's played a lot of football this season. The only thing I can say is he has had injuries in the past and when he's had maybe a minor injury, it's prolonged.
“He's been out for longer than expected, but he's been managed fairly well this season overall. He's only had one period out with injury, so Arne Slot seems to think he'll be okay. If he's not okay, then Liverpool have got real defensive issues on their hands.”
What will Arne Slot do if neither player can feature v Newcastle United?
WR: “I think you'll have to put Jarrel Quansah to right back regardless of what happens. As you say, Conor Bradley's out, Joe Gomez, who's versatile as they come defensively, is out, so Quansah is the only option, the makeshift option.
“Obviously, we've seen at St James' Park when the two-teams met that he had some real issues against Anthony Gordon. Slot seems to think that he had a bit of a blip earlier in the season after a really good season last year, but he said a couple of weeks ago that he thinks he's back to his best, so the proof will be in the pudding there.
“In the centre half, you'd probably have to play Wataru Endo there if Konate couldn't play. He was actually centre-half when he was coming up through the ranks in Japan, played there a few times this season, but coming up against a striker like Alexander Isak, you wouldn't really want Wataru Endo playing there alongside Virgil van Dijk, but it might be needs must.”
How has Newcastle United’s injury news gone down in Liverpool? Will Sven Botman, Lewis Hall and Anthony Gordon’s absences be a boost for them on Sunday?
WR: “I think at the time when it came out, it did. Obviously, everyone's seen the red card. Anthony Gordon is a top player and he caused Liverpool problems at St James' Park. A big pitch at Wembley, you'd be fancying him to try and get in behind Liverpool's defence there. So, that was a big boost, as you say.
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“Lewis Hall, everyone's seen his performance against Mo Salah at Anfield. He's been a real impressive left-back. I mean, if Liverpool need a left-back, and there's no disrespect for Newcastle, as some people have said, we may be going to try to get him? I think that would be a little bit fanciful myself. But he's someone who is highly rated, and say Sven Botman as well. He's the leader at the back, isn't he? And he's just been unlucky, hasn't he, again, with another knee issue.
“But now you've had these two injuries. Well, you've had the one to Trent Alexander-Arnold, obviously, come off. It's maybe tipped the balance a little bit more in Newcastle's favour.
“But, it's been sort of game, game, game, the Carabao Cup, it's been a little bit at the back of Liverpool's minds, just because it's been so hectic. But coming around to it now, people are looking at the team news, etc.
“And, as I say, when all those reports came out about Lewis Hall and Botman, was it like, what, basically after two days in a row, wasn't it? You did feel that it was a big boost for Liverpool, definitely.”
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