Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to play again this season but Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has confirmed that he will not be available to take on Newcastle United this weekend. He has been left out of the England squad for the upcoming international break.
“Trent is not available,” Slot said during his pre-match press conference. “He will not be at the final but he is still to be assessed for how it is going to take. We do expect him back before the end of the season.”
The Liverpool defender limped off during the Champions League defeat against PSG midweek. The Reds later exited the competition on penalties with Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones missing during the shootout.
With Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez also sidelined at the moment, Liverpool is likely to deploy Jarell Quansah at right-back in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United. He struggled in that role during the Premier League clash at St James’ Park but won’t be coming up against the suspended Anthony Gordon this time around.
Slot also mentioned the possibility of playing Kostas Tsimikas or Andy Robertson on the opposite side. Jones, too, was namechecked as an option to fill in there, which is something he has done before.
As for Newcastle, the excellent left-back Lewis Hall is also set to be missing for the game at Wembley. Sven Botman is also out for the Magpies because of a knee injury.
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“Everyone who is from the bench and who doesn’t start has to try and make an impact,” Virgil van Dijk told reporters at Anfield when asked specifically about Quansah, who could deputize for Alexander-Arnold.
“Hopefully it is something minor but if not, if Jarell will play right-back then he has to do it in the best way possible. He showed today and he showed already in the last couple of weeks that he can do it.
“Right now [after losing to PSG] it is bitter disappointment in our heads because we are out of the competition but I am really looking forward [to the Carabao Cup final]. We need our fans to be there with us and I have no doubts they will be there as well.”
