Liverpool's right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, is set to miss the upcoming Carabao Cup final against Chelsea due to a knee injury. The vice-captain aggravated his knee during Liverpool’s victory over Burnley, ruling him out of the much-anticipated Wembley final on 25 February.
Alexander-Arnold was forced off after 45 minutes into the game against Burnley when he felt pain in his knee. This is the same knee where he sustained a lateral ligament tear during Liverpool's FA Cup victory against Arsenal on 7 January. While no specific timeframe has been set for his return, it is expected that he will be sidelined for several weeks.
This was only Alexander-Arnold’s second start since sustaining the initial injury. He had made a comeback in the FA Cup fourth-round win against Norwich and started in the Premier League defeat at Arsenal but was withdrawn after 58 minutes as a precautionary measure. According to Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, this injury was further aggravated when Alexander-Arnold caught his studs in the pitch during their match with Burnley.
Conor Bradley is likely to draft in for the final
In light of Alexander‑Arnold’s absence, Conor Bradley has shown promise as an effective replacement. However, Bradley hasn't played since scoring his first Liverpool goal during their 4-1 rout of Chelsea at Anfield on 31 January due to compassionate leave following his father's death.
Mohamed Salah could also potentially fill in for Arnold; having recovered from a hamstring problem sustained at Africa Cup of Nations, Salah resumed training this week alongside Bradley.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s availability in the final is still uncertain
Klopp has also expressed concerns about Dominik Szoboszlai’s availability for the Carabao Cup final due to recurring muscle injuries experienced during their Premier League match win against Chelsea. Thiago Alcântara, another key player for Liverpool, is also out of action after sustaining a muscle injury during his brief comeback at Arsenal.
The absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold from the Carabao Cup final due to injury is a significant blow for Liverpool. However, with potential replacements like Conor Bradley and Mohamed Salah returning to training, fans will be hoping that the team can still put up a strong performance against Chelsea.
The team's resilience will be tested as they navigate through these injuries, but with Klopp at the helm, Liverpool fans can remain hopeful for a positive outcome in the upcoming Carabao Cup final.
