The Carabao Cup was the final trophy lifted aloft by Jurgen Klopp and it could well be the first claimed by new Liverpool boss Arne Slot.
Liverpool begin the defence of their title on Wednesday evening in the third round of the competition, hosting West Ham United – a side they beat 5-1 on their journey to glory last term. On paper, the Reds should book their spot in the next round, but a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest almost two weeks ago proves that they can’t afford any complacency midweek.
Rotation could also make life more difficult for Liverpool, with Slot needing to offer some of his key starters a deserved rest given the hectic upcoming schedule. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and the in-form Luis Diaz could all be given the night off.
Here is how Liverpool could line up on Wednesday.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs West Ham (4-2-3-1)
GK: Caoimhin Kelleher – With Alisson missing the win over Bournemouth and a confirmed absentee midweek, Kelleher will be tasked with guarding the Anfield nets. Desperate to be a number one elsewhere, he’s only likely to be Liverpool’s cup goalkeeper this term.
RB: Conor Bradley – With Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool future in doubt, the Reds could be relying on Bradley weekly in future years. The Northern Irishman’s impressive start to his Anfield career is likely to continue under Slot.
CB: Jarell Quansah – After being hooked at half-time in Liverpool’s Premier League opener, Quansah hasn’t been seen since. That will probably change on Wednesday though, with the youngster likely up against the powerful Michail Antonio.
CB: Virgil van Dijk – In a much-changed backline, the skipper could retain his place. While Joe Gomez is a candidate to replace the Dutch defender, Liverpool do need a level of continuity in their starting lineup – especially in the defence.
LB: Kostas Tsimikas – The left-back produced a very Tsimikas-esque performance in his recent start against Milan in the Champions League. Encouraging going forward but reckless defensively, you’re never overly sure what you’re going to get from the Greek international.
DM: Wataru Endo – Slot is evidently not a member of the Endo fan club but he’s still likely to utilise the midfielder this season sparingly. The Japan captain’s future will hinge on his performances in the cup competitions.
DM: Curtis Jones – Having suffered with injury issues at the start of the season, Jones should make his first start of the season on Wednesday. He scored twice against West Ham in last year’s Carabao Cup clash.
RM: Federico Chiesa – Slot has hinted at a first start for summer signing Chiesa against the Irons, even if the Italian may only last an hour or so. Liverpool fans will be excited to get a proper view of the Euro 2020 winner, who is likely to replace Salah on the right flank.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai – Szoboszlai has made a cracking start to 2024/25 – as was the case in 2023/24 as well – and has thrived in a more advanced midfield role under Slot. Also scoring in the 5-1 win over West Ham last term, he may retain his starting spot midweek.
LM: Cody Gakpo – The Dutch forward was one of Liverpool’s standout performers in his first start under Slot against Milan. He’s evidently picked up from where he left off at the end of last season and at Euro 2024.
ST: Diogo Jota – Jota was a surprise omission against Bournemouth, not featuring at all in the 3-0 victory. Darwin Nunez replaced him and scored a beauty, perhaps relegating the Portuguese to the number two spot for the time being.
