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Anthony Gordon smiles

When Liverpool faced Chelsea in last year’s League Cup final, they were done to the bare bones.

With 11 senior players ruled out, the likes of Mohamed Salah Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Nunez were left to watch from the stands as Jurgen Klopp was forced to turn to a number of academy talents instead.

What unfolded turned out to be one of the proudest hours in Klopp’s trophy-laden Anfield reign as the likes of Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, James McConnell, Bobby Clark and Jayden Danns all played their part in Liverpool getting their hands on the cup.



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But come the final whistle, their injury list had grown to 13 as Ryan Gravenberch was stretchered off and Wataru Endo also joined the walking wounded.

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Thirteen months on and the Reds will hope it’s a very different story when they travel to Wembley for this year’s final as they look to defend their crown.

Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton are confirmed absentees with long-term injuries, having undergone surgery on hamstring and shoulder issues respectively, while Bradley is also unlikely to return in time after suffering a hamstring injury of his own.

While Cody Gakpo is an injury doubt himself little over a week before the showpiece final, Arne Slot has offered reassurances that he will be back available for action in the not-too-distant future.

With Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain to get through before next weekend’s final, Liverpool will consequently hope to limit their list of absentees to just three players when it is time to travel to the capital.

But it is a different story for opponents Newcastle United, whose list of absentees continuing to grow.

Lewis Hall has been ruled out for the season with a foot injury, while Eddie Howe has confirmed Sven Botman is set for an eight-week lay-off after a small operation on his knee.

Jamaal Lascelles is also injured, though Howe has played down injury fears around both Alexander Isak and Kieran Trippier.

Meanwhile, Anthony Gordon is suspended after the Magpies opted against appealing his red card for violent conduct against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup last weekend.

Admittedly, Newcastle’s list of absentees is nothing compared to the number of players Liverpool were left without ahead of last year’s final.

But Gordon, Botman and Hall are all first-choice in Howe’s side, with their absence keenly felt.

If Liverpool or the Magpies were to lose any further players before next weekend’s final, it is bad luck.

But suspensions are rather more manageable, with Gordon sending the perfect warning after losing his head against Brighton and pushing Jan Paul van Hecke in the back of the head.

Newcastle have been in this situation before, of course, with Nick Pope sitting out the League Cup final in 2023 after being sent off for a professional foul on Salah a week before the Magpies faced Manchester United at Wembley.

Liverpool host Southampton on Saturday, while Newcastle take on West Ham United on Monday.

Andy Robertson and Amara Nallo were both dismissed for professional fouls against Fulham and PSV Eindhoven respectively, while Curtis Jones was sent off following his altercation with Abdoulaye Doucoure after the final whistle in last month’s Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park.

Not wanting any unnecessary absences, Slot and Howe will likely both warn their dressing rooms to be on their best behaviour against the Saints and Hammers respectively.

Get through 90 minutes unscathed, and then you can start to dream of Wembley.

Of course, Liverpool still have a Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain to get through before their attention switches to the League Cup final.

Alexis Mac Allister, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson and Harvey Elliott are all one yellow card away from being issued with a one-match continental ban.

All bar Van Dijk were in the same situation prior to facing PSG in Paris, so they can at least be trusted to keep their heads when the stakes are higher - even if Konate flirted very closely to the line after avoiding a red card at the Parc des Princes.

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But as Gordon demonstrated last weekend, it only takes one moment of madness in both sides' next Premier League outings for Wembley dreams to go up in smoke.


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