Giorgi Mamardashvili will make his first Liverpool appearance of the season when Tottenham Hotspur visit Anfield in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday. Andoni Iraola confirmed that the Georgian goalkeeper will start in place of Alisson Becker as Liverpool rotate following Saturday’s 0–0 draw with Fulham.
Mamardashvili, 25, arrived from Valencia in a £29 million deal and made 20 appearances in all competitions during his first season at Anfield. His debut campaign was uneven, but Iraola made clear that he retains significant confidence in the goalkeeper and sees the cup tie as an opportunity for him to demonstrate his ability.
“I rate Giorgi very highly,” Iraola said. “I know him from his years in Spain. I told him that we tried to sign him for Bournemouth before I came here. He’s a very good goalkeeper and he will start tomorrow.”
Iraola’s decision does not reflect doubt about Alisson, who has started Liverpool’s opening Premier League matches and Champions League match against Atlético Madrid. Instead, the head coach described Alisson as “proven” and in strong form, while using the Carabao Cup to give Mamardashvili competitive minutes.
Liverpool are expected to make further changes beyond goalkeeper, with Iraola acknowledging that he must learn which players can sustain their level across a succession of matches every few days. He has said supporters should expect to see squad members who have not yet featured prominently this season.
Joe Gomez provides a positive selection update. The defender has returned to full training after missing the start of the campaign with a muscle injury, and Iraola confirmed he is available for selection. The remaining question is how many minutes Gomez can safely play, rather than whether he can be involved.
Liverpool will face a Tottenham side dealing with its own injury concerns. Spurs will be without Sandro Tonali, Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski, while Richarlison remains excluded from the squad despite being eligible for Carabao Cup matches.
Iraola has also underlined the importance of Liverpool’s pressing game. Against Fulham, he said the team were too late in their pressing during the first half and recovered possession too deep, which reduced their ability to launch transitions against an unsettled defence. He wants Liverpool to regain the ball higher up the pitch, where quick counter-attacks can create more space and clearer scoring opportunities.
Mamardashvili’s selection is therefore part of a wider effort to balance recovery, competition for places and progression in the cup. Liverpool want a response after the Fulham stalemate, while the goalkeeper has a clear chance to establish himself as a reliable alternative to Alisson in the domestic-cup competitions.
