'Rolls Royce' defender handed debut as three more academy players star: Liverpool's predicted XI vs Southampton
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Liverpool are aiming to reach the Carabao Cup semi-final for a second successive season as they face Southampton on Wednesday.
The Reds have beaten Premier League opposition in each of the two rounds they’ve played so far and will have to do so again to make it into the last four.
Despite the fact that Southampton sit bottom of the top division and have just sacked manager Russell Martin, injuries within the Liverpool squad mean that the Reds are going to have to shuffle their pack.
Most of Liverpool’s issues come in their defence, and Arne Slot is going to have to get a little creative to solve them. Here’s how we think Slot will line the Reds up at St Mary’s.
Defence
After his costly mistake against Newcastle, Caoimhin Kelleher has returned to bench duties, with Alisson Becker back fit again. This is Kelleher’s competition, though, and he’ll be back again.
In front of Kelleher, Slot has a real job on to put together a coherent back line. With Andy Robertson now suspended, Liverpool have only four fit senior defenders.
We expect Slot will rest three of them, with Jarell Quansah the only recognisable member of this back line.
Alongside Quansah, we think Slot will hand a debut to 17-year-old Amara Nallo. Nallo has been called a ‘Rolls Royce‘ before signing for Liverpool in 2023 and this is set to be a huge chance for the youngster.
At left-back, James Norris is all set for an unlikely chance in the senior side, while the Liverpool head coach has no choice to play someone out of position on the right.
It may be a slightly left-field choice, but we think Wataru Endo is about to do a stint as an emergency right-back.
Midfield
If Liverpool’s defence is difficult to predict, then the midfield more or less picks itself.
There will obviously be changes once again from Slot, but the good news is that Alexis Mac Allister is back available and will be well rested following two weeks off.
Much will be expected of Mac Allister, as the one senior member of the Reds midfield.
Alongside him, we think Tyler Morton will get his second start of the season, while Harvey Elliott will be champing at the bit to put his stamp on the attacking midfield role.
Attack
Slot admitted that Liverpool had suffered a blow after drawing against Fulham, with Diogo Jota struggling with a new issue.
Jota would have likely been expecting to start this one, so Slot will have to work around another issue.
Federico Chiesa looks ready, though, and it seems probable that the Italian will fill in on the right side of Liverpool’s attack.
Darwin Nunez got only 20 minutes off the bench on Saturday and as a result could be in line for a start at Southampton as well.
Meanwhile, we expect that Cody Gakpo will complete the Liverpool team as he looks to add to the four goals he has in this competitions already this season.
