After making as many as 19 changes in his last two Liverpool games, Jurgen Klopp’s substitutions may be classified as “wholesale” again on Wednesday night.
The Reds begin their Carabao Cup campaign against Champions League leaders Leicester City – possibly the only club to have won both the first and second divisions of English football in the last decade – and Klopp is expected to make at least a few changes to his lineup.
Caoimhin Kelleher, who played in Liverpool’s 3-1 Europa League triumph against LASK last week, will almost certainly be recalled in goal. Klopp stressed that the cups would not always lead to automatic minutes for the younger players in his squad given the depth he has this season, but the Irish goalkeeper is no longer seen as a youthful hopeful and is instead regarded as quality back-up.
It will be intriguing to observe how the right-back position develops. Joe Gomez was outstanding against West Ham United on Sunday, and with Tottenham Hotspur visiting on Saturday evening, Stefan Bajcetic may be called upon to fill in as Trent Alexander-Arnold recovers from a hamstring injury.
Last week, the Spanish teenager returned from a six-month injury absence, and a cup run-out could be just what the doctor ordered for Bajcetic. The question is whether he can adjust to Klopp and his staff’s new ‘hybrid full-back’ position.
Jarell Quansah could be selected in the center, but who Klopp chooses to play alongside the England Under-20 international is anyone’s guess. Will it be Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, or Joel Matip as captain?
Each defender will be hoping to start alongside Quansah for a variety of reasons. Van Dijk, the club captain, has not featured much in Liverpool red recently, and Konate needs minutes due to his own fitness difficulties. Matip, on the other hand, will be looking to put in another strong performance after shackling Michail Antonio against West Ham.
It’s an intriguing quandary, and it’s a far cry from the defensive issues he’s been dealing with recently as a result of a combination of suspensions and injuries. On the left, Kostas Tsimikas will most likely deputize for Andy Robertson.
Wataru Endo will undoubtedly anchor the midfield as Japan’s captain continues to ease into his new role. Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch may also believe they are in contention for game time, while Bobby Clark may be called upon if the manager has one eye on the weekend trip to Spurs. One assumes that Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexis Mac Allister are all wearing watching briefs.
The fact that Klopp’s forward line is so well stocked this season is a huge plus for him. Whereas resting his first-choice choices in recent years has usually resulted in a significant reduction in quality, there doesn’t appear to be an undisputed front three at the moment, which means Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota might reasonably be expected to start with Ben Doak.
Mo Salah, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez may all rest if they are required to face Enzo Maresca’s Foxes. It’s Liverpool’s arsenal of weaponry that gives them a chance to go far in a competition they’re aiming to win for a record 10th time.
It’s a difficult situation for Klopp to be in as he seeks League Cup glory this season.