Liverpool will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle, but there’s hope the vice-captain could return before the season concludes.
Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konaté’s availability remains in the balance as Arne Slot provided the latest injury updates during his pre-match press conference.
Alexander-Arnold suffered an ankle injury during Liverpool’s midweek clash with Paris Saint-Germain, forcing him off in the second half. Scans conducted the following day revealed no serious damage, but the right-back is expected to miss a significant period. Slot confirmed Alexander-Arnold will sit out the final but hinted at a return before the campaign ends.
“Trent is indeed not available. He will not be there for the final,” Slot said. “He’s still to be assessed for how long it’s going to take, but we do expect him back before the end of the season.”
Konaté, who was substituted late in extra time against PSG, is also a concern. Slot initially suggested the defender’s issue was fatigue, and while he remains hopeful, a final decision will be made after Friday’s training session.
“We didn’t train yesterday – we had a day off – and the day before was recovery,” Slot explained. “I expect him to train with us today, but let’s see how it is.”
With Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley, and Joe Gomez all unavailable, Liverpool faces a shortage of options at right-back. Slot hinted at potential solutions, including Jarell Quansah stepping in or even deploying Curtis Jones in the role.
“Maybe even Curtis can play there,” Slot said. “You can also play a left-footed defender on the right side, which is what Newcastle do on the opposite side.”
