Predicted Liverpool XI v Southampton: 22yo ace starts as Arne Slot makes wholesale changes | OneFootball

Liverpool will square off with Southampton at Saint Mary’s Stadium for the second time this season as both sides go head to head in the EFL Cup quarter-final.

The Reds head to the south coast as overwhelming favourites, looking to extend their fantastic unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions.

Arne Slot’s side eked out a narrow 3-2 win against Brighton & Hove Albion to reach the last eight, while Southampton saw off Championship side Stoke City by an identical scoreline.

Liverpool have already gotten one over Southampton this season, coming from behind to claim a 3-2 win in the Premier League.

They’re expected to repeat that feat on Wednesday, but Slot might be forced to name a second-string line-up, with a crucial Premier League test against Tottenham Hotspur on the horizon.

How Liverpool could line up

Caoimhin Kelleher will get the nod between the sticks after brutally relinquishing his temporary first-team spot to Alisson, who returned from a lengthy lay-off with a fantastic performance against Girona.

With Conor Bradley still sidelined with a hamstring problem he picked up against Real Madrid, Slot might be forced to start Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.

The Liverpool vice-captain will guard Kelleher’s goal alongside Jarell Quansah, Virgil van Dijk, and Konstantinos Tsimikas, who steps in for the suspended Andrew Robertson.

Slot has used the League Cup to rotate his squad to good effect, giving minutes to fringe players, and it could be more of the same as the Reds look to book a place in the semi-finals.

Wataru Endo has barely kicked a ball for Liverpool this season, but he’ll get a chance to impress on Wednesday, anchoring the midfield alongside 22-year-old Tyler Morton, who has featured in the last two EFL Cup games.

Liverpool fans may finally get to see Federico Chiesa in action for the first time since September, forming an attacking trio alongside Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo.

Darwin Nunez is set to lead the line, with Slot ruling out Diogo Jota for the midweek contest.

Predicted Liverpool XI

(4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Endo, Morton; Chiesa, Elliott, Gakpo; Nunez.