Arne Slot will need to ring the changes for a game he will be absent for, with a number of Liverpool’s fringe players to benefit at Southampton.
The Reds’ 2-2 draw with Fulham took its toll, not least with both Slot and Andy Robertson picking up suspensions for their next game.
Neither head coach nor first-choice left-back will be involved for Wednesday night’s trip to Southampton in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, with a ban restricting Slot to the stands at St Mary’s.
Still, his influence will be felt both before and during the game, particularly in his team selection with a number of changes expected.
With Tottenham to come in the Premier League four days later, here are five players who can benefit in a rotated side at Southampton.
James Norris
With Robertson suspended and Kostas Tsimikas unlikely to be fit in time, the next in line at left-back will be 21-year-old Norris.
The academy staple spent last season on loan at Tranmere but has stayed at Liverpool this time around, spending most of his time with the U21s but more recently joining the first team.
After a night unused in the Champions League against Girona it is almost certain that Norris will start against Southampton.
In doing so he will make his first real senior appearance, after featuring for youth sides in the cup clashes with Aston Villa (2019) and Shrewsbury (2022) when Jurgen Klopp‘s side were otherwise occupied.
Norris’ gritty, industrious brand of full-back play should make him a dependable option for Liverpool on the night.
Wataru Endo
There has been a confusion of late over Slot’s use of Endo, with the Japan captain barely registering in either the Premier League or the Champions League.
But he has started in each of the previous two rounds of the Carabao Cup and should do so again in midweek.
It will not only provide Ryan Gravenberch a much-needed night off – having been key to Liverpool’s comeback against Fulham as he swapped from midfield to defence and back again – but it will allow Endo to find his sharpness again.
With the prospect of Norris and perhaps 18-year-old centre-back Amara Nallo starting behind him in defence, Slot can rely upon Endo’s experience to hold things together.
“That’s what makes the team strong as well, that the ones coming in don’t come in with the wrong attitude; they always come in with the right attitude,” the head coach said recently.
Alexis Mac Allister
While fans could expect to see a host of fringe players on the pitch at St Mary’s, at least one of Slot’s first-choice starters will be called upon.
Mac Allister has not featured since the 3-3 draw with Newcastle on December 4, missing the last two games through suspension, meaning by Wednesday he will not have played in a fortnight.
That makes a start in the quarter-final useful for a player who will then resume normal duties in the Premier League.
In many ways it will be the ideal opportunity for Mac Allister to get his rhythm back, having spent time on holiday during his enforced absence before watching his teammates against Fulham.
And with Liverpool still eager to reach the semi-finals with victory over Southampton, his presence will no doubt be key.
Tyler Morton
When it emerged that Morton had suffered a knock in the buildup to Liverpool’s trip to Girona, fans were left to bemoan more unfortunate timing for the young midfielder.
Not only were there hopes he could start that Champions League tie, but a new injury cast doubt over a surefire start alongside Endo in the Carabao Cup.
But despite again missing training two days prior, Morton returned to the matchday squad against Fulham on Saturday in a big indication that he will be ready for midweek.
Denied a loan move to Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the transfer window, Morton has so far played only six times this season – with four of those coming for the U21s – and his only senior start came against Brighton in the fourth round.
Morton is more than capable of stepping into Liverpool’s midfield for these lower-profile fixtures, and it is only fair given the opportunity he was spurned in the summer.
Federico Chiesa
“If you haven’t played for five or six months it’s sometimes difficult for a manager to give him his first minutes, because you don’t know exactly what you can expect,” Slot reflected on Chiesa’s return to availability last week.
The Dutchman added: “Maybe the Southampton game might be a good moment for him to get some playing minutes and then we know a bit better what we can expect from him.”
All but confirmed to be in contention, it would be no surprise if Chiesa was selected to start at St Mary’s given he already has an hour of action under his belt, having started for the U21s earlier in the month.
It has been a long, slow process for Liverpool’s only summer signing, but the belief remains that, after an essential, delayed pre-season, he can be a crucial cog in Slot’s attack.
His next step towards gaining that status should come against Southampton – perhaps finally affording Mo Salah a rest after nine consecutive starts.
Predicted Liverpool XI vs. Southampton: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Gomez, Norris; Endo, Morton, Mac Allister; Elliott, Chiesa, Nunez
