Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola go carefully check him squad before he decide who ready to start Tuesday night Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur. A busy period for di Reds continue as Premier League opposition arrive Anfield for third round of League Cup.
At least one change go happen from di side wey begin di draw against Fulham at weekend. Iraola confirm say Giorgi Mamardashvili go dey goal.
Iraola tell reporters on Monday say di workload go affect selection, definitely, because na third game. He call am worst scenario, game, two days, game, two days, game. He say schedule no lucky because after dis one dem get small more time before Bournemouth. He also talk say dem get small more time between Ipswich and Atletico Madrid, and you go notice if na four or five days compared to two or three days. He say na massive difference but na wetin e be. After international break, he talk say dis period dey come again, playing nine or 10 days, four games or something like that. So dem must get used to am.
He continue say you can decide and put same players every game. He say problem be say moment go come when dem go tired well well and risk of injury go higher. Na why dem no fit say e no work for anybody. Some players dey wey play every three days, no issues, dem robust, dem accept am, and their performance no change too much. Other players get bigger risk and performance dey different. He say dem still dey process where he must learn who ready to play three or four games in a row every two or three days and who need rest so performance level no go drop. He talk say for some players e clear for him mind, but for others e new even for dem because dem never play many games and dem dey learn.
Mamardashvili dey line up for him first appearance of di 2026-27 campaign and na goalkeeper wey Iraola rate well well. When dem ask about Liverpool options between posts, Iraola reply say small doubts dey with Ali Becker. He say Ali proven and dey play very well. He also rate Giorgi high. He know am from him years in Spain. He tell am say Bournemouth try sign am before he come here. For Iraola, na very good keeper and he go start tomorrow, yes.
Joe Gomez fit again after muscle injury he get for pre-season. Iraola say he go available for tomorrow and now na matter of deciding how much he fit play and wetin be best thing to do. Conor Bradley, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined.
For Tottenham, Sandro Tonali no dey due to knock, and Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro also out. Forward Richarlison no go feature, but Destiny Udogie dey available after he miss di goalless draw with Everton last Saturday. Head coach Roberto De Zerbi tell reporters on Monday say Kulusevski no available, Pedro still no available, but Udogie yes. Richarlison, nothing change for Carabao Cup or Premier League, situation same. No, he no go involved.
On him selection plans for di tie, De Zerbi say team selection no difficult because he lucky to get dis players. He say he convinced of qualities of di players. He talk say Lucas Bergvall no be other players. Mathys Tel also. And then dem get to analyse other players, maybe players wey no play enough. He say he lucky because for central defence he get Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven, top centre-backs, but also Ben Davies, Marcos Senesi, Tosin Adarabioyo no less than Van Hecke and Van de Ven.
De Zerbi say he no know about potential senior debut for academy player Luca Williams-Barnett. He add say he go like play with same attitude as for Premier League. Attitude and spirit same. Many players need to play. Maybe not 90 minutes but 30 minutes. Na real game. E important.
Legendary former Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson fit make him first appearance against di Reds since he sign for Tottenham in summer.
