Kaide Gordon is in line to make his debut for Liverpool when they take on Norwich City in the Carabao Cup third round at Carrow Road on Tuesday.
Liverpool will be aiming to progress to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup when they lock horns with Norwich City at Carrow Road on Tuesday night. And Jurgen Klopp has a fresh injury concern to deal with ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Thiago Alcantara is facing a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a calf injury this past weekend against Crystal Palace. The Spanish international has joined Harvey Elliott, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Neco Williams and Roberto Firmino on the list of unavailable players.
While Elliott is a long-term absentee due to an ankle injury, Alexander-Arnold is still feeling the effects of the illness that forced him to miss out on the weekend. Meanwhile, Firmino and Williams are inching closer to their returns from their respective injuries but the game against Norwich has come too soon for the duo.
Speaking to the Liverpool media, assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders provided an update on each of the unavailable players, saying, “Thiago, how the gaffer said after the game, it was a calf injury. I can’t say now how long it will take but definitely not tomorrow and not at the weekend. Let’s start with Trent. Our game basically started at 12 o’clock against Palace; he took responsibility to speak with the doctor.”
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“There are no symptoms – no COVID symptoms. We test regardless. He should be fine in a few days but Norwich comes too early. Then we have Bobby, who will do parts of team training but also not ready. But progressing well. And Neco is progressing well as well. [For him] tomorrow also comes too early.”
The continued absence of Alexander-Arnold and Williams means James Milner could be an option at right-back for Liverpool. However, the Reds’ vice-captain will instead start in midfield, with Joe Gomez likely to deputise at right-back. At the heart of the Liverpool defence, Joel Matip and Nat Phillips ought to pair up, with Andrew Robertson starting on the left flank.
Meanwhile, Lijnders confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Caoimhin Kelleher will start in goal while Curtis Jones will take his place in midfield, where he will start alongside Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is due a rare start.
Finally, in attack, the game will provide Klopp the chance to hand an opportunity to youngsters, with one prodigious attacker in Kaide Gordon set to take his place in the starting lineup. Gordon will be deployed on the right flank, with Divock Origi leading the line for Liverpool while Takumi Minamino will start on the left wing.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Gomez, Phillips, Matip, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner, Jones; Gordon, Origi, Minamino
