The right-back is sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained during Tuesday’s Champions League defeat.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will not feature for Liverpool in their League Cup final clash against Newcastle United this Sunday at Wembley. The 26-year-old right-back, who was injured during Tuesday’s Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain, is unavailable for the match.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday that Alexander-Arnold would not be part of the squad and will undergo further assessment to determine the extent of his injury. “He’s not available for the final,” Slot said, adding that they expect him to return before the season concludes.
The news comes as a blow to Liverpool, already missing defenders Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez due to hamstring issues. Slot, however, expressed optimism that Ibrahima Konate, who also sustained an injury in the PSG match, would recover in time to feature on Sunday. Konate was substituted during extra time, but Slot suggested it was likely due to fatigue or cramps and hoped he would be fit after Friday’s training session.
Liverpool, who defeated Chelsea in last year’s League Cup final, will aim to win their first silverware of the season despite the absence of key defenders. Fans had already suspected Alexander-Arnold’s absence when he was omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad earlier on Friday.
Slot reflected on the significance of the final but acknowledged the lingering disappointment of their Champions League exit. “Winning or losing the final won’t change the fact that we’re out of the Champions League,” he stated. “But we play finals to win, and that’s what we’ll aim to do.”
With Mohamed Salah and captain Virgil van Dijk also in the final stages of their contracts, Liverpool’s future is uncertain. Van Dijk, reportedly considering an offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, remained tight-lipped on contract talks after Tuesday’s defeat. Slot, however, made his desire clear, saying, “I want Virgil to be here next season.”
