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Arne Slot arrives at the stadium prior to the Carabao Cup Final between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on March 16, 2025 (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Caoimhin Kelleher starts for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final as Diogo Jota is named up top by Arne Slot at Wembley.

Kelleher has played every game bar one of the Reds' League Cup campaign, sitting out the first-leg semi-final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in January, due to Slot feeling first choice Alisson Becker needed the minutes as he recovered from a hamstring injury.

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And despite being coy over his selection on Friday when pressed in his pre-match press conference, it is Ireland international Kelleher who gets the nod over Alisson against Newcastle United, as the back-up starts for the first time since the FA Cup defeat to Plymouth Argyle last month.



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Jota is preferred to lead the line over Darwin Nunez down the other end of the pitch as the Reds aim to bounce back from Tuesday night's Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16.

Jarell Quansah, as expected, starts in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who injured himself in Tuesday night's penalty-shootout loss, although Ibrahima Konate is passed fit alongside Virgil van Dijk after being withdrawn with cramp against PSG.

In midfield, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister will play behind Dominik Szoboszlai with Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott all waiting in reserve if needed at the national stadium.

Cody Gakpo is also a part of the substitutes with Luis Diaz preferred over the Netherlands international, who has only recently returned from an ankle issue, picking up in the Premier League draw with Everton last month.

Meanwhile, Harvey Barnes deputises for the suspended Anthony Gordon on the left side of the attack as Alexander Isak starts for the Magpies.

The Reds, who lifted this competition 13 months ago, will become 11-time winners should they prevail this afternoon.

Liverpool: Kelleher; Quansah, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota.

Subs: Alisson, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Jones, McConnell.

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Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Joelinton, Tonali, Guimaraes; Murphy, Isak, Barnes.

Subs: Dubravka, Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Willock, Longstaff, Milley, Neave.


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