Liverpool head into Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United as strong favourites, and they’ve been handed a timely boost ahead of the clash at Wembley.
Despite ongoing injury concerns, Ibrahima Konaté has returned to training and could be fit to feature in the final, strengthening Arne Slot’s side at a crucial moment.
Konaté was forced off during Liverpool’s midweek Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, raising fears that he could miss the showdown with Newcastle.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold already ruled out and Joe Gomez still sidelined, his absence would have left Liverpool’s backline severely weakened.
Had Konaté been unavailable, Liverpool would have been forced to reshuffle their defensive setup, with Wataru Endo potentially dropping into centre-back and Jarell Quansah moving to right-back.
Against Alexander Isak – arguably the Premier League’s most in-form striker – that would have been far from ideal.
Newcastle’s defensive issues put Liverpool in strong position
While Liverpool have had their own defensive concerns, Newcastle’s issues on the left flank could be a decisive factor in this final. Anthony Gordon, one of their most dangerous attacking threats, is suspended, while left-back Lewis Hall is also ruled out.
With Newcastle missing key players, Liverpool will have no excuses.
Their attacking options – led by Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Núñez – should be able to exploit the gaps in Newcastle’s defence, making them overwhelming favourites to secure their first silverware under Slot.
Avoiding complacency at Wembley
Despite their strong position, Liverpool will be wary of complacency.
Last season’s Carabao Cup final saw a heavily depleted Reds side overcome Chelsea against the odds – this time, they must ensure they don’t suffer the same fate from the other side.
With Konaté back in the squad, Liverpool’s defensive setup is much stronger.
Now, it’s all about delivering on the day and securing the first trophy of what could be a historic season.