Liverpool have a pretty empty training room right now, with Joe Gomez (thigh) the only confirmed injury absentee. However, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai missed the 2-2 draw with Manchester United today due to an unspecified virus. Hence he’s a doubt for Wednesday’s League Cup clash with Tottenham. On the other side, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglu has now added the likes of Fraser Forster, Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray to his already long list of fitness and unavailability concerns.
EFL Cup Semifinal, Leg 1/2 FYIs
Kick: Wed. Jan. 8, 8pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
Team News: Liverpool Tottenham
Starting XI Predictions: Liverpool Tottenham
How They Got Here:
Liverpool- Quarterfinals: Southampton 3-2, Round of 16: Brighton 3-2, Third Round: West Ham 5-1
Tottenham- Quarterfinals: Manchester United 4-3, Round of 16: Manchester City 2-1, Third Round: Coventry 2-1 Second Round: Nottingham Forest 1-1 (4-3 penalties)
Team News for Both Sides
“Radu and Archie were in the sickbed all week,” Postecoglu said of Dragusin and Gray on Saturday. “Radu was gone at half-time; he just didn’t have any energy.” Like the Spurs boss pointed out there, Dragusin had to be subbed off at half-time of the 2-1 loss to Newcastle. He was replaced by Sergio Reguilon, and finds himself a doubt here.
As for Gray, he started and went the full 90, so he’s totally fine, and he’ll play here. The situation is the opposite with Forster, who missed out entirely, with Postecoglu explaining:
“Illness. Fraser copped the brunt of it, and he hasn’t been well in the past few days, so Brandon gets the opportunity.”
Yes, starting the third choice goalkeeper! You’re not going to win too many games when that’s the case. Elsewhere, Spurs still have that very long unavailability list, with eight players (in addition to the ones that we mentioned) still out injured and one more suspended.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.