Liverpool’s season has reached one of those early junctions where perspective matters.
There was plenty to like about the victories over Ipswich Town and Atletico Madrid. Andoni Iraola appeared to be finding solutions, confidence was growing and some of the football suggested his ideas were beginning to take hold.
Then came Fulham.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Anfield was flat enough to bring a few old anxieties back to the surface. Liverpool remain unbeaten through Iraola’s first five matches, which deserves recognition, but the performance was worrying. The intensity dropped, the midfield lacked control and a side that had looked increasingly purposeful suddenly appeared short of energy.
That makes Tuesday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Tottenham Hotspur more significant than a routine early round cup tie.
Rotation Can Give Liverpool Fresh Impetus
This is Iraola’s third match in a week and rotation feels inevitable. The important thing is getting the balance right.
Liverpool should make changes. They should also try to win the Carabao Cup.
Iraola has an opportunity to use this competition to learn more about his squad while pursuing his first piece of silverware at Liverpool. There are players who need minutes, youngsters who deserve opportunities and senior figures who could benefit from a different role.
Trey Nyoni falls firmly into the first category. His pre-season performances suggested he was ready for greater involvement and this feels like precisely the sort of night when Liverpool should find out how far he has progressed.
There is an interesting tactical argument for using Nyoni deeper. Liverpool’s midfield struggled against Fulham and having a player willing to hold his position, protect passing lanes and provide some structure could allow Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai greater freedom ahead of him.
Mac Allister could certainly benefit. His superb strike against Atletico Madrid was a reminder of what he can offer closer to goal. With Nyoni providing some discipline behind him, Liverpool could give the Argentina international more licence to influence proceedings higher up the pitch.
My midfield would therefore contain Nyoni, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai. It provides youth, experience and enough technical quality to control possession.
Defensive Decisions Give Iraola Plenty to Consider
Joe Gomez being available again is welcome news, although Iraola has indicated that the defender is not yet ready for 90 minutes.
There is little reason to gamble with him.
Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remain unavailable, so I would move Ronald Araujo into central defence alongside Virgil van Dijk and start Jeremie Frimpong at right-back.
Kostas Tsimikas should get another opportunity on the left. Saturday was difficult for him, but dropping a player immediately after a poor performance achieves little when this fixture provides the perfect chance to respond. Liverpool will need Milos Kerkez for the Premier League campaign, so giving Tsimikas the Carabao Cup minutes makes sense.
Giorgi Mamardashvili has already been confirmed as the goalkeeper for this game, and this could be an important evening for him. There remains some uncertainty among supporters about Liverpool’s number two, particularly regarding his composure in possession. A commanding performance at Anfield against Tottenham could change the mood around him considerably.
Cup competitions have traditionally provided Liverpool’s reserve goalkeepers with opportunities to build confidence. Mamardashvili needs to take his.
Federico Chiesa and Hugo Ekitike remain unavailable, so there are limitations in attack. Alexander Isak deserves a rest and Rio Ngumoha should get his opportunity.
Victor Munoz can start from the right, with Cody Gakpo leading the attack. Ngumoha’s directness could be particularly useful against a Tottenham defence containing several changes.
My predicted Liverpool XI is:
Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Araujo, Van Dijk (C), Tsimikas, Nyoni, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Munoz, Ngumoha, Gakpo.
There should still be strength available from the bench. That matters. Iraola can make six or seven changes without treating progression as an afterthought. If Liverpool require senior players for the final 20 minutes, they should be there.
After Fulham, a fresh-looking side might actually help.
Liverpool looked tired and predictable at the weekend. Tuesday provides an opportunity for different players to inject urgency into Iraola’s football and remind everyone why the mood had improved following Ipswich and Atletico.
Tottenham will carry a threat regardless of their selection, and a rotated Liverpool defence could give them opportunities. I can see this becoming a far less comfortable evening than some might expect.
Still, Anfield, fresh legs and a strong bench should give Liverpool enough.
Tottenham Hotspur Present an Unusual Carabao Cup Test
Tottenham arrive with problems of their own.
Their Premier League campaign has started poorly and their attacking struggles have been particularly stark. The expectation is that Spurs will make substantial changes, with their league position understandably demanding attention.
That creates an unusual situation.
Liverpool should rotate because their schedule demands it. Tottenham Hotspur may rotate because their Premier League situation demands something different. Neither side is likely to resemble its strongest XI.
That does not make this Carabao Cup tie unimportant.
For Liverpool, there is value in building momentum. Iraola has not yet lost as Liverpool manager and extending that sequence while reaching the next round would keep the early optimism around his appointment moving in the right direction.
The competition could also become increasingly attractive if Liverpool navigate this hurdle. There will still be strong opposition remaining, but cup draws have a habit of opening pathways unexpectedly.
Liverpool are in no position to dismiss that possibility.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur