Liverpool kick off their Carabao Cup defence tonight with a home fixture against West Ham in the third round of the competition. This match also serves as a milestone for Arne Slot, as it marks his debut in this tournament and his first time managing under the iconic Anfield floodlights. Until now, Slot’s experiences at the famous ground have only been during daytime matches.
As is often the case for Premier League teams balancing domestic and European commitments, tonight’s starting XI features numerous changes. Slot has opted to rotate his squad, offering opportunities to several players who’ve had limited game time this season.
Liverpool will be aiming to replicate their emphatic 5-1 victory over West Ham in last season’s Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Remarkably, this is the Hammers’ third trip to Anfield in just over a year.
Starting Line-up for Liverpool vs West Ham:
As anticipated, Slot has made several adjustments for this cup tie. Caoimhin Kelleher is one of only two players to retain his place from the team that faced Bournemouth last Saturday.
In defence, Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah, and Kostas Tsimikas make up the back four. Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones, who netted twice against West Ham in this competition last December, anchor the midfield.
Federico Chiesa makes his first start for the Reds after a couple of substitute appearances, while Cody Gakpo replaces Luis Diaz on the left wing. Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez both start, with one expected to play in a more withdrawn role behind the other.
Liverpool’s bench is packed with big names if needed, and Vitezslav Jaros along with Tyler Morton are also included in the matchday squad, making rare appearances.
You can check the full team list on @LFC via X (formerly Twitter).
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