Liverpool host Chelsea in the Carabao Cup fourth round

Liverpool assess three players before the Chelsea match

Florian Wirtz is being assessed after suffering an ankle problem. Victor Munoz and Dominik Szoboszlai are considered less likely to feature, although neither player has been formally ruled out. The final squad will therefore depend on late medical checks rather than an already confirmed list of absentees.

Wirtz picked up the problem during the league match against Brighton. Liverpool’s pre-match update was more positive about his availability than about Munoz or Szoboszlai, but all three cases still require separate decisions.

Those decisions also affect rotation. Liverpool can give minutes to players who have started less often, but the available combinations will only become clear after the medical update.

Chelsea arrive for a single-match knockout game

There is no second leg in the fourth round. If the teams are level after 90 minutes, the match will be decided by a penalty shoot-out under the competition format.

Liverpool and Chelsea both have deep squads, so the team sheets will show how each manager balances the cup with the league schedule. The match itself remains the priority: one winner will leave Anfield with a place in the quarter-finals.

The official Liverpool match centre lists the game for Wednesday evening. Supporters therefore have one confirmed schedule, while the final line-ups will only be available shortly before kick-off.

Substitutes may decide the final half-hour

The bench will matter if the score remains close. Fresh attackers can change the pace of the match, while an additional midfielder may help either side protect possession. Those choices will depend on the score and on which players are available after the final fitness checks.

Liverpool will have five substitutions available during the match. The managers can therefore change the attack or midfield without waiting for extra time, which is not used in this round.