‘Expecting…’ – Arne Slot shares positive update on Liverpool colossus ahead of Carabao Cup final | OneFootball

Arne Slot issued an encouraging update on one Liverpool player in the lead-up to the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

The agony of being knocked out of the Champions League on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night was compounded by the enforced withdrawals of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate.

Speaking shortly after the match, the 46-year-old expressed doubts over the Englishman being involved against Newcastle at the weekend, although he attributed the withdrawal of the France international to fatigue rather than injury.

Slot issues another update on Trent and Konate

On Wednesday afternoon, Slot issued a further update on the two defenders in relation to their chances of appearing in the Carabao Cup final.

The Liverpool head coach shared positive news on Konate, saying (via liverpoolfc.com): “With Ibou, we expected only it to be that he was tired or he had some cramps, so we are hoping and expecting that he will be ready to play Sunday again.”

On Trent, the 46-year-old insisted that it’s ‘too early to say’ whether or not the Reds’ vice-captain will recover in time to face Newcastle. The player’s facial expressions upon incurring the problem which forced him off last night suggest that a Wembley appearance is most unlikely.

(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Good news on Konate, but losing Trent would be a big blow

It’d appear that Slot’s initial verdicts on the two defenders seemed accurate, with Konate merely fatigued as he went off against PSG but Trent’s situation being a far greater concern.

With another four days to go until the Carabao Cup final, the Frenchman should have more than enough time to get back up to full speed for the Wembley showdown, which doesn’t kick off until 4:30 in the afternoon.

The vice-captain’s likely absence comes at an inopportune time with Conor Bradley also sidelined, so it looks as though Jarell Quansah will be asked to deputise at right-back due to a lack of natural alternatives for that position.

It’s not the most ideal scenario when there’s a trophy on the line, but no Liverpool fan will forget how depleted we were in the same fixture last February and still managed to overcome Chelsea after extra time with several academy teenagers on the pitch.

At least it looks as though Slot will be able to call upon his trusted centre-back pairing of Konate and Virgil van Dijk, who’ll both need to be at their best to quell a certain Alexander Isak on Sunday!