The major issues for today surround the fitness of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez. And as I am an eternal optimist, I’ve decided both make the cut today before resting up for a week ahead of that visit to Nottingham Forest. A night off for the pair against Southampton.
That means Nunez leads the line, Salah flanks the right side and Luis Diaz is on the left. Cody Gakpo can wait in reserve.
In midfield, I’m going to give Harvey Elliott the nod over Ryan Gravenberch and moving Alexis Mac Allister to the left side of the two No.8 positions. Wataru Endo patrols the base of the engine room.
At the back, I’ve resisted the considerable claims of Joe Gomez and named Conor Bradley at right-back and Andy Robertson starts on the opposite flank. Ibrahima Konate partners Virgil van Dijk.
Should Salah and Nunez not make it, in come Gravenberch and Gakpo.
The League Cup may be the lesser of the two domestic knockout competitions, but it’s still a major trophy and the first one Liverpool can win this season. But they are going to have to do it against Chelsea at Wembley while missing an awful lot of the their best and most important players.
What, then, is Jurgen Klopp to do?
Caoimhin Kelleher would have been in goal regardless of Alisson Becker’s hamstring complaint. Conor Bradley is ensconced at right-back, while Ibrahima Konate can return to partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back. It is an incredibly tough and probably harsh call, but Joe Gomez is benched with Andy Robertson instead the left-back.
