Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in training as Liverpool prepare to host Leicester City in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Anfield on Wednesday.
Vice-captain Pepijn Lijnders has stated that he trained with the squad on Monday after missing the Reds’ past three games due to a hamstring injury he received in the victory against Aston Villa at the beginning of September.
“Trent trained with us yesterday but it was just in the rondo and the ball possession with the counter-pressing, but he was outstanding,” the assistant manager said on Tuesday on Liverpoolfc.com. Obviously, you recognize him right away.
He’s now in training with the squad. We will find out today whether he is ready [for Leicester].
Lijnders also gave an injury report on Thiago Alcantara, who has yet to play this season.
Dutchman: “He is in a good way, the healing process is going well so that’s the most important [thing] at this moment.”
“Of course we will make changes,” Lijnders said of Jürgen Klopp’s customary rotation in the Carabao Cup, “but we want to put our game in place, we want to be dominant, we want to be in their half of the pitch.”
He went on to say, “I think always we proved already that we are using the squad, and that’s something in this season that is really important to feel and understand: this group of players, when they are all healthy, when they are all hungry, when they feel that they all at each moment can be used, they all find a certain development on their own, and they are becoming better [regardless of age].
We play every two or three days at the moment, so we need to utilize freshness, use hunger, use the players who really want to shine, like we always had. If we can create these three or four qualities in the squad, you know that success comes much closer. We are not just here to make debuts, but to grow as well.
Then, choose either Ben Doak or Stefan [Bajcetic]. That’s why I’m stressing the importance of games in the development of young males. The kids need some good games.
In previous years, Liverpool’s starting goalkeeper in this tournament has been Caoimhin Kelleher.
I believe the finest signing of the season is Caoimhin, that he remained with us,” Lijnders said of the Republic of Ireland international. I think he’s a top-tier netminder who deserves and will earn playing time.
I believe Ali had a huge role in Caoimhin’s growth and development, and he deserves a lot of credit for that. The role Alisson played was enormous. You have a goalkeeper of the highest caliber, one who, in my view, could excel for any club in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca plans to use rotations at Anfield owing to Leicester’s hectic schedule as the leaders of the Championship.
On Tuesday, he told reporters, “For sure, we’re going to make changes, no doubt.”
We’ll keep using other athletes who are deserving of our attention. We can’t always start with the same eleven players. Rest and relaxation are essential for the team’s performance against Blackburn on Sunday.
Maresca has said that Leicester’s Callum Doyle, a defender who has represented England at the U-21 level, would be out for a “long time” due to an injury he got in the Foxes’ 1-0 victory against Bristol City last weekend.
Maresca replied, “We have almost double players for each position,” when asked how he plans to go about finding Doyle’s replacement. Callum is the only left-footed player on the team, thus we only have one of those positions. We’ll figure it out and adjust.
“[James] Since Justin is right-footed, he has been used on the right side of a back three both in the cup and in the game against Southampton. Even against Bristol City, he performed well.
Conor Coady, who has been out with a foot injury, is getting closer to making a return and is another defensive option for the Foxes.
“After eight or nine weeks out, you need to come back step by step, slowly,” Maresca said of Coady. Hopefully, “tomorrow could be the right game for him.”
Final game
Alisson, Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Salah, and Nunez helped Liverpool beat West Ham United 3-1 on September 24.
Hermansen, Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Doyle, Ndidi, Winks, Dewsbury-Hall, Fatawu, Mavididi, and Vardy started for Leicester City in their 1-0 win against Bristol City on September 23.