Joe Gomez Returns for Liverpool in Carabao Cup Clash
Joe Gomez is set to pull a Liverpool shirt back on at last, with the defender cleared to return in time for tonight’s Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham at Anfield.
The England international has not played a single competitive minute this season after suffering a muscle strain in pre-season, but Andoni Iraola confirmed the 27-year-old is back in the frame for the third-round tie.
“Joe is training with the team and is available for tomorrow. It's a matter of deciding how much he can play,” the Liverpool boss said on Monday, leaving the door open to anything from a cautious cameo to a full-blooded start.
Rotation on the cards
Gomez will not be the only change. Iraola has signalled a reshuffle, hinting that a very different Liverpool XI could take the field under the lights.
“We will see tomorrow players we haven't seen,” he teased, a clear nod towards those stuck on the fringes during the early weeks of the campaign.
That line will prick up the ears of Wataru Endo. The Japan midfielder has been in every matchday squad but has yet to step off the bench. A domestic cup tie at home, with the manager openly talking about rotation, looks tailor-made for his first minutes of the season.
The kids are queuing up behind him.
Rio Ngumoha, bright in a second-half cameo against Fulham, is pushing hard for a first start of the season and looks one of the likeliest beneficiaries of Iraola’s promise. Trey Nyoni and Lewis Koumas are also in contention, both having featured from the bench recently and both tipped to be handed greater responsibility as Liverpool navigate a busy schedule.
Experience vs opportunity
The dilemma for Iraola is clear: lean into youth, or lean on experience.
If he decides the tie demands more know-how, Bradley Barcola is well placed to keep his momentum going. The forward is in line for what would be a third start in the space of a week, a clear sign of trust from the manager and a chance to sharpen his understanding with the rest of the front line.
Up front, the options are thinner.
With Hugo Ekitike still sidelined, Alexander Isak stands as Liverpool’s only senior out-and-out striker. The burden is heavy, though Cody Gakpo offers a different route if Iraola wants to rotate his No 9 and use the Dutchman through the middle.
Between returning stalwarts, hungry youngsters and new faces chasing rhythm, Liverpool’s Carabao Cup campaign begins with a simple question: who will grab their chance under the Anfield lights?
