By Ewan Murray
Liverpool have the opportunity to lift their first piece of silverware this season on Sunday as they face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
However, the nerves will be jangling for Liverpool supporters ahead of the showpiece event this weekend, primarily because of the extensive injury list that has built up on Merseyside over the past few weeks.
Jurgen Klopp has some major selection headaches travelling to London as a whole host of key players find themselves sidelined. For others, there will be late fitness checks, but it may be a threadbare Liverpool squad in the capital on Sunday afternoon.
Here are all theLiverpool players potentially absent for the Carabao Cup final.
Goalkeeper & defenders
Liverpool's defence is the area that has been least affected by the recent injury crisis, but they are still missing several members of their backline ahead of Sunday's showdown.
One of those is goalkeeper Alisson, who is likely to be out until after the March international break with a muscle injury according to Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders. Caoimhin Kelleher was always going to start the final against Chelsea having been the Reds' Carabao Cup goalkeeper this season, and he will want to pull off the same heroics he did against the Blues in this fixture in 2022.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will also be absent for Sunday's clash and isn't expected back until after next month's international break, with Conor Bradley or Joe Gomez filling in for the 25-year-old.
Joel Matip will likely be sidelined for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL against Fulham back in December.
Midfielders
Liverpool have an array of injuries in midfield as well, but the ever so slightly positive news is that Dominik Szoboszlai might be fit for Sunday. Lijnders said that the club's medical team will assess his fitness before the final, with the Hungarian having been absent for the entire of February so far.
Curtis Jones suffered an ankle sprain during Liverpool's recent 4-1 victory over Brentford and has been missing ever since. The English midfielder will be sidelined for the weekend, meaning he is still yet to play in a major final for the Reds despite having successfully navigated four semi-finals for the club.
Thiago Alcantara returned for all of ten minutes against Arsenal at the beginning of February having been on the treatment table since the end of last season, but the injury-prone Spaniard is back on the sidelines after suffering a muscle injury.
The 32-year-old's compatriotStefan Bajcetic has only featured twice himself this season due to injury and isn't expected back in the near future.
Forwards
Similarly to Szoboszlai, both Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez are doubts for the final, but could make the clash with Chelsea in some capacity. The attacking duo will be assessed leading up to the game, but there is a chance that neither feature after they were both absent for the victory over Luton Town midweek.
That would serve as a massive blow to Klopp, especially given Diogo Jota is facing at least two months out after suffering a significant knee injury against Brentford. The Portuguese was in great form and leaves Liverpool's attack even blunter given fitness woes for Salah and Nunez.
Klopp may have to rely on youth from the bench up top at Wembley, especially if the match goes to extra-time, but one player he can't call on is Scottish wingerBen Doak. The 18-year-old needed surgery earlier in the season and is still some way off returning.
Liverpool players missing for Carabao Cup final
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Liverpool injuries: Every player out of Carabao Cup final vs Chelsea.
