Liverpool boss Arne Slot believes Newcastle United have enough squad strength to compensate for the injuries for the Carabao Cup final. The Reds will face Newcastle in this season’s Carabao Cup final at the Wembley Stadium on the 16th of March.
Liverpool are heading into the final after a disappointing exit from the Champions League competition as Paris Saint-Germain outperformed them. The Reds lost 4-1 in penalties, with Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones missing their respective penalties last Tuesday evening.
Playing 120 minutes of football against a physically superior PSG side pushed Liverpool to the extreme. The Reds’ players showed signs of fatigue during the extra time, losing possession and failing to cover spaces.
Meanwhile, the Magpies played West Ham United in the Premier League on Monday night, winning the game 0-1. Newcastle welcomed Alexander Isak back after an injury layoff, giving them a monumental boost before the Carabao Cup final.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com, Slot highlighted that Newcastle have enough squad strength to remain a threat for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, despite their crisis. He said:
“No [we can’t be sure on their team], but I think in this part of the season every team misses players so we will miss a few as well. That’s normal. The good thing about the Premier League is that almost every team has a lot of money so they have more than only 11 good players. We are an example of that but Newcastle is also an example of that.”
The Liverpool boss used the example of the players he has unavailable, asserting that injuries are part of the season. Slot added:
“So, yes, I think Eddie would have loved to play Anthony Gordon, but let’s wait [and see] how Trent [Alexander-Arnold] is on Sunday but if he is not available then I would have loved to have played Trent as well. And if he’s not available then I would have loved to play Conor [Bradley], who is certainly not available, and then again, when it comes to the Premier League, I still have Jarell Quansah, who played a great game [against PSG] when he came in. So, that tells you the quality of every squad in the Premier League – for us, but also for Newcastle.”
Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered an injury against PSG in the latter stages of the game. Alexander-Arnold’s injury forced Slot to deploy Jarell Quansah in the absence of already-injured Conor Bradley.
Liverpool team have a bigger problem with fatigue as they face another physically strong team in Eddie Howe’s Newcastle. The Reds’ first-choice centre-back Ibrahima Konate asked for a substitution against PSG after failing to continue with fatigue and cramps.
More Liverpool News:
- PSG’s athletic dominance forces Slot to reassess Liverpool squad
- Liverpool legend Salah’s heatmap shut downs “delusional” critics
- Salah backs Liverpool’s chaos-bringer: He is “very important”
The Reds need their players to overcome fatigue and avoid any injuries as nine games remain in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the focus remains on the Carabao Cup final as Liverpool hopes to win the trophy in back-to-back seasons.
