Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup third round at Anfield on Tuesday night, with kick-off at 8 p.m. BST. Andoni Iraola is expected to make extensive changes after the weekend’s goalless draw with Fulham, while Andrew Madley will referee a tie that goes directly to penalties if it is level after 90 minutes. There is no VAR in the competition’s third round.
Giorgi Mamardashvili is the one confirmed Liverpool starter. Iraola has said the Georgian goalkeeper will replace Alisson Becker for his first appearance of the season, offering the 25-year-old a chance to establish himself in domestic-cup competition.
Liverpool’s exact lineup was not confirmed at the time of the pre-match reports, so projected teams should not be presented as fact. Mamardashvili, Jeremie Frimpong, Ronald Araújo, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Trey Nyoni, Lewis Koumas and Rio Ngumoha were all among the players most widely tipped to feature, but Iraola only confirmed that supporters would see players who had not featured regularly so far this season.
Joe Gomez is available again after a muscle injury kept him out at the start of the campaign. Iraola said the key decision is the defender’s workload rather than his availability, leaving open the possibility that Gomez starts, plays limited minutes or is introduced from the bench. Federico Chiesa, Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni remain unavailable.
Tottenham arrive with their own selection problems. Sandro Tonali is out after suffering a knock, Pedro Porro remains sidelined with a muscle issue, and Dejan Kulusevski is continuing his recovery from a long-term injury. Richarlison is eligible for the Carabao Cup but remains excluded from Roberto De Zerbi’s plans, while Destiny Udogie is available again after missing the draw with Everton.
The match also carries personal significance for Andy Robertson, who returns to Anfield for the first time since leaving Liverpool for Tottenham in the summer. Liverpool are the competition’s most successful club, having won the League Cup 10 times, and Iraola has emphasised that he wants his side to use home advantage to progress.
Liverpool’s main challenge is to find a better balance than they managed against Fulham. Iraola said his side had been too late to press and too passive in winning possession high up the pitch, reducing their capacity to attack quickly in space. Rotating the team is intended not only to manage fatigue but also to inject energy and sharpen competition for places.
For both clubs, the third-round tie offers an early test of squad depth. Liverpool have the advantage of playing at Anfield, but Tottenham’s injuries, Liverpool’s likely rotation and the absence of extra time ensure that the contest is far less straightforward than a routine cup fixture.
