Liverpool’s flawless Premier League start rolled on with a derby victory over Everton, but Arne Slot has already turned his attention to the Carabao Cup, confirming that several first-team stars will be rested against Southampton.
The Dutchman revealed that Virgil van Dijk, Ibou Konaté, Mohamed Salah, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai will all sit out Tuesday night’s tie, highlighting the importance of squad depth during a packed schedule.
Speaking to liverpoolfc.com, Slot explained:
—“This is also the reason why teams like us, Chelsea, all the ones that are playing in Europe need a squad like this, because you need to play so many games. Again, it’s not an excuse, we have to accept it as it is, but we have had some issues, with Alexander Isak not training for four months, [Alexis] Mac Allister missing out a lot – I can go on and on and on. But the good thing is I do have the options to rotate throughout the week.”
That strength in depth was clear against Everton, with summer arrivals Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch both on the scoresheet, while record signings Florian Wirtz and Isak started from the bench.
On Isak, Slot reiterated that Liverpool’s medical staff are carefully managing his return to full fitness after his British-record transfer.
When asked specifically about his Carabao Cup lineup, the manager was blunt:
—“I can tell you now you won’t be seeing them on Tuesday. If that’s any help for Southampton then they will know.”
With so many regular starters unavailable, opportunities are expected for fringe players and youngsters to step up. Fans will be hoping the rotation policy pays off, keeping Liverpool sharp in the league while allowing a strong run in the domestic cup.
