Liverpool Set to Unleash Fresh Squad Against Crystal Palace in Carabao Cup Shake-Up
Liverpool are looking to secure Carabao Cup revenge when they welcome Crystal Palace for the fourth round clash this Wednesday.
The Merseyside club arrives at this match in terrible form after suffering their fourth consecutive Premier League loss over the weekend—they were outplayed in a 3–2 defeat to Brentford. This outcome has positioned them seven points behind league leaders Arsenal and placed them in a serious crisis as November approaches.
A win against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last week provided Liverpool's sole bright moment during their dreadful streak of defeats, which started at Palace in late September. They have dropped five of their previous six matches across all tournaments and understand that circumstances may deteriorate further before improving.
The Reds, who also fell to Palace in the Community Shield this season, will probably deploy a rotated squad despite their desperate need for a win—congested fixtures and injury concerns for some of Slot's crucial players are forcing the Dutch manager's decisions.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1)
GK: Freddie Woodman—Since Woodman appears prominently in Liverpool's official match program for the Palace encounter, expectations are high that the third-choice goalkeeper will make his competitive debut for the Reds on Wednesday.
RB: Conor Bradley—With Jeremie Frimpong sidelined through injury, Liverpool have limited options at right-back, making it unlikely that Bradley will receive a midweek break.
CB: Joe Gomez—Gomez has found it difficult to win over Slot during the Dutchman's reign, but should receive an uncommon starting opportunity against Palace. His performance can hardly be worse than Ibrahima Konaté, who has shown significant inconsistency this campaign.
CB: Virgil van Dijk—Following Giovanni Leoni's season-ending ACL injury sustained in the third round, Van Dijk must continue starting. After his poor showing in the Community Shield against Palace, he'll be eager to redeem himself.
LB: Andy Robertson—While Milos Kerkez found the net at Brentford, he delivered another underwhelming performance. Robertson has appeared much more impressive than the Hungarian this season and should get the midweek nod.
DM: Wataru Endo—Endo clearly isn't among Slot's preferred players, with the Japanese midfielder frequently overlooked in the central area. However, his veteran presence and defensive awareness could prove vital in midfield against the Eagles.
DM: Alexis Mac Allister—With Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones facing significant injury concerns for the fourth round and Trey Nyoni seemingly too inexperienced for such responsibility, Mac Allister might start due to limited alternatives.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai—Szoboszlai has emerged as one of Liverpool's more reliable contributors in recent matches and is currently outperforming Florian Wirtz in terms of influence. The Hungarian may need to battle through tiredness.
RW: Federico Chiesa—Chiesa has been among Liverpool's few standout performers this season and contributed two assists in the third round victory over Southampton. He also netted at Selhurst Park back in September.
ST: Hugo Ekitiké—Another beacon of hope for Liverpool is Ekitiké, who will probably start against the Eagles with Alexander Isak dealing with fitness issues. The French striker scored against Palace in the Community Shield but missed the league meeting due to suspension following his reckless red card in the Carabao Cup third round.
LW: Rio Ngumoha—The 17-year-old made an impression during pre-season and has generally performed well when given chances this term, including that decisive goal at St James' Park in August. He'll have a chance to showcase his abilities to Slot on Wednesday.
