- Liverpool face Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
- The Reds aim for back-to-back finals after last season’s triumph.
- Manager Arne Slot enjoys an almost fully fit squad for the trip to London.
Liverpool head to north London on Wednesday for the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds, who dominated Spurs 6-3 in a thrilling Premier League encounter last month, will look to build a commanding lead as they chase a second successive final appearance.
While Spurs are grappling with severe injury issues, Liverpool’s squad is in good shape, though a couple of key players remain unavailable. Here’s a breakdown of Liverpool’s absentees ahead of the clash.
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Liverpool Players Missing Against Tottenham
Joe Gomez
Joe Gomez is sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained during Liverpool’s 5-0 win over West Ham United in their final game of 2024. This setback came just as Ibrahima Konate returned to fitness after a five-week absence.
Gomez had stepped up admirably in Konate’s absence, but manager Arne Slot has confirmed the versatile defender will be out for “a few weeks,” making a January return unlikely.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Dominik Szoboszlai, a key figure in Liverpool’s recent success, is not dealing with an injury but is recovering from illness. The Hungarian international missed the weekend draw against Manchester United, and his creative flair was noticeably absent.
Slot provided an update on Szoboszlai’s status ahead of the semi-final, expressing hope but maintaining caution:
“Yesterday [Monday] he wasn’t in [training] yet. If he’s in today, I would doubt if he’s available to start the game. But hopefully, he’s in today. Yesterday he wasn’t,” Slot explained.
Liverpool’s Strength Despite Absentees
Despite these setbacks, Liverpool’s squad depth remains a significant advantage. The return of Konate, coupled with the attacking prowess of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Diogo Jota, provides Slot with plenty of options to exploit a weakened Tottenham side.
With Spurs missing several first-team players, Liverpool will aim to capitalize and potentially all but secure their spot in the Carabao Cup final before the second leg.
Prediction: A controlled yet exciting performance from Liverpool could see them edge out Spurs in a decisive first-leg win.
