On Wednesday, Liverpool will welcome Chelsea for a crucial League Cup match. The London side, however, has been dealt a heavy blow in the lead-up to this vital encounter.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed that striker Joao Pedro will miss the match at Anfield due to injury. The Brazilian has made a fantastic start to the season, with his partnership alongside Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer serving as a cornerstone to the team's early success.
In their last outing, Chelsea fell to Tottenham while attempting to make up for Joao Pedro's absence by moving Rogers into the attacking role. For the clash against the Merseysiders, it is expected that Danny Welbeck will lead the line, posing a more direct threat to Liverpool's central defenders.
In the Liverpool camp, manager Andoni Iraola faces his own selection headaches. Florian Wirtz is unlikely to feature after his early substitution in the match against Brighton, and Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike remain ruled out due to injury.
Despite a relatively thin bench, Liverpool are still regarded as the favourites. In the previous round, they knocked out Tottenham thanks to a stunning goal from Dominik Szoboszlai. Although their recent 3-0 defeat to Manchester City raised eyebrows, much of that can be attributed to an early red card, and overall, the team has been looking quite convincing.
