Liverpool have been hit with a major injury setback ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United. Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to miss the showdown at Wembley after being forced off against Paris Saint-Germain.
Arne Slot’s side crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday after a penalty shootout defeat to the French champions. PSG now advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face Aston Villa or Club Brugge.
Alexander-Arnold suffered his injury in the 73rd minute while challenging Vitinha. He appeared to jar his knee and needed treatment before being replaced by Jarell Quansah.
The situation worsened in extra time when Ibrahima Konate was also forced off. The French defender couldn’t continue and was substituted for Endo Wataru, adding to Liverpool’s concerns.
Slot confirmed after the match that Alexander-Arnold’s chances of playing on Sunday are slim. He admitted that the injury looked bad and would be surprised if the right-back recovered in time.
There was some optimism regarding Konate, with Slot suggesting that fatigue rather than injury was the reason behind his substitution. The defender could still be in contention for the final.
Alexander-Arnold also missed last season’s Carabao Cup final, leaving Liverpool without their first-choice right-back once again. His deputy, Conor Bradley, remains sidelined with an injury of his own.
Newcastle have injury issues of their own, with Anthony Gordon suspended and several key players unavailable. Both teams will have to cope with absences in what promises to be a highly competitive final.