Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is confronted with an extensive spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury and rules him from Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Newcastle, Live on Sky Sports.
Arne Slot says that Alexander-Arnold will be back before the end of the season after storing an injury in the second half of Liverpool's Champions League exit to PSG on Tuesday, but his absence leaves lock without a recognized right back.
Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez still recover from their own respective injuries, but there is hope that Ibrahima Konate can shake the effects of a knock that forced him five days ago.
“Trent is not available. He will not be there at the final,” said Slot.
“But he still has to be assessed for how long it will take, but we expect him before the end of the season.
“In this part of the season it is almost impossible to let all your players fit. Both teams have two or three or four players who cannot play. That is almost a privilege because so many teams have had more than that.
“Two or three injuries is the minimum that you can expect after months of non-stop football. It is a big compliment for Newcastle and Liverpool staff that players are available.”
Merson's prediction
Paul Merson from Sky Sports:
“I would say Liverpool. [Lewis] To fetch [Anthony] Gordon Missing – Hall did well with [Mohamed] Salah in recent games – I think Newcastle is against it and they will have to keep it tight.
“Take part of the front three – Gordon, [Alexander] Isak and [Jacob] Murphy – and they are not the same team. I know [Harvey] Barnes comes in, but he is not the same player as Gordon. Barnes wants the ball to be in feet and Gordon will run off.
“Unless you are a Sunderland or Liverpool fan, you want Newcastle to win this cup. Everyone wants Newcastle to win because it is so long ago without a trophy.”
Jones knows: Final to be decided on penalties?
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:
My instincts initially wanted to step against Liverpool, where they dominated the outright bet only 3/10 with Sky Bet to lift the trophy. But a quick scan of Eddie Howe's record with Newcastle against Liverpool and Manchester City has completely dropped me out that idea. From 18 games against those two elite teams, Newcastle won only once, lost 14 times and admitted 2.4 goals per match to a background of 18.5 shots per match.
I go to the Doelenmarkt instead. Every time there is a final at Wembley, I think that opposing goals in that stadium in that area of high efforts are a sustainable long -term bet strategy strategy. I am convinced that Wembley has the potential to sear the momentum from a game. In the last 41 domestic and European matches played at Wembley, the average goals per 90 goals are 1.94 goals in normal time over 41 games. And there have only been four games in which the goal line went more than 3.5 from those 41 games. An incredibly profitable trend to follow.
Another proof of throwing in the low score theory for this competition is related to how Premier League clubs did it in their next game after they have been beaten from the Champions League in extra time or fines. Exactly what Liverpool stands for here.
And from the last nine times, eight of those nine games went under 2.5 goals and the total match goals in those nine games were on average only 1.6 per 90.
Yes, nine games are a very small sample size, but I think it is completely logical that a team that is both mentally and psychologically tired in a knockout match for Champions League will feel the effects in their next game.
It is then under 2.5 goals at 5/4 with sky bet.
Score forecast: 0-0 (Liverpool to win on penalties) | Jones Knows' Best bet: Less than 2.5 goals (5/4 with Sky Bet)
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