Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed that Mohamed Salah and four other important players will not play in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third round game against Southampton.
Liverpool won 2-1 against Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday, making it five wins in a row in all competitions. But Slot says he will make many changes for the Southampton game to give his main players a rest.
Before the Everton match, Slot made four changes from the team that played Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. New starters included Conor Bradley, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, and Alexis Mac Allister. Ryan Gravenberch scored the first goal and then helped set up Ekitike’s goal. Everton scored once late in the game, but Liverpool held on for the win.
Slot explained why rotation is important during a busy schedule:
“This is why teams like us, playing in Europe, need a big squad. We have many games. It’s not an excuse; we accept it. I can rotate players during the week. The ones who played full matches three times recently are Virgil [van Dijk], Ibou [Ibrahima Konate], Mo [Mohamed Salah], Ryan [Gravenberch], and Dom [Dominik Szoboszlai]. You won’t see them on Tuesday.”
With these players rested, Liverpool’s squad depth will be tested as the Carabao Cup starts. This gives a chance for backup players and youngsters to play. Slot’s choice to rotate shows his trust in the team’s strength as they manage many games at once.
Liverpool will host Southampton at Anfield on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup third round. Players like Kerkez and Bradley are likely to start again, while Federico Chiesa and Trey Nyoni may also get a place in the team.
After the cup game, Liverpool will focus on the Premier League and travel to London to play Crystal Palace on 27 September.