Cody Gakpo will return in a rotated Liverpool starting lineup when they host Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup third round at Anfield on Tuesday.
Liverpool will aim to secure a spot in the EFL Cup fourth round when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield for the third-round tie on Tuesday night. Andoni Iraola has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Joe Gomez has resumed training, with the versatile English defender available to face Tottenham on Tuesday. That leaves only Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (ACL), Federico Chiesa (back), and Hugo Ekitike (achilles) in the treatment room.
During his pre-match press conference, Iraola confirmed that Giorgi Mamardashvili would find a place in the starting lineup on Tuesday. The Spanish tactician also provided a fitness update on Joe Gomez.
The Liverpool manager said, “I think it [the workload] has to affect, definitely, because it’s the third game. It’s the worst scenario – it’s game, two days, game, two days, game. In terms of the schedule, we haven’t been lucky because it’s true that after this one we have a little bit more [time] before we play Bournemouth.”
“Also we had a little bit more [time] between Ipswich and Atletico Madrid, and you notice if it’s four or five days in comparison to two, three days. It’s a massive difference but it is what it is. I think after the international break also we have this period, I think, we are playing in nine, 10 days, four games or something like this. So, we have to get used to this.”
“I think there are little doubts with Ali [Becker]. He’s proven, he’s playing very well. I also rate Giorgi very highly. I know him from his years also in Spain. I told him we tried to sign him for Bournemouth before I came here. For me, he’s a very good ‘keeper and he’s going to start tomorrow, yes. I think he [Gomez] is going to be available for tomorrow and now it’s a matter of deciding how much he can play and what is the best thing to do.”
As confirmed, Giorgi Mamardashvili will take his spot between the sticks, with Liverpool lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. The backline will feature Jeremie Frimpong, Ronald Araujo, Wataru Endo, and Kostas Tsimikas.
As for the midfield unit, Trey Nyoni will line up alongside Alexis Mac Allister in the double pivot, with Lewis Koumas reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Rio Ngumoha and Victor Munoz will be the two wide attackers, with Cody Gakpo leading the line for the home side against Tottenham on Tuesday.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Araujo, Endo, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Nyoni; Ngumoha, Koumas, Munoz; Gakpo