Ibrahima Konate will be fit for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, having joined training on Friday in the buildup to the weekend’s clash with Newcastle.
Konate had been considered a slight doubt for the final after limping off late on in Tuesday’s penalty shootout defeat to PSG in the Champions League.
Speaking on Friday morning, Arne Slot said that he would “expect him to train with us today” but added that he would “see how it is.”
Fortunately, Konate was among those put through their paces in the gym and on the outdoor pitches at the AXA Training Centre later in the day.
That should mean the Frenchman is able to start alongside Virgil van Dijk at Wembley, with only one change now likely to the back line with Jarell Quansah replacing the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley and Tyler Morton are the only other players sidelined heading into the final.
It was therefore a strong squad which training in Kirkby on Friday, bolstered by regular academy representatives James McConnell and Trey Nyoni.
The first-choice midfield of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are all fit along with alternate Curtis Jones and backups Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott.
Similar is true of Slot’s attack, with Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa all training.
• READ: Federico Chiesa treatment explained as Arne Slot admits “not an ideal world”
There are clearly fewer options in defence, with Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas the only fit full-backs, and it is notable that the head coach appears to have not turned to his youth ranks to add to the numbers.
Slot will name his strongest possible side for the Carabao Cup final and that could mean a return to the lineup for Gakpo after injury.
However, Gakpo came off the bench late on against PSG and looked short of fitness, which could lead to either Jota or Nunez being considered to join Salah and Diaz instead.
Liverpool squad pictured in training on Friday
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Kelleher, Jaros, Davies
Defenders: Van Dijk, Konate, Quansah, Robertson, Tsimikas
Midfielders: Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Endo, Elliott, McConnell, Nyoni
Forwards: Salah, Gakpo, Diaz, Jota, Nunez, Chiesa
Fan Comments