Liverpool are down to the barebones in defence ahead of their trip to Southampton in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.

Manager Arne Slot would have ideally liked the opportunity to hand the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold a rest in the quarter-final tie, but injury and suspension issues mean they only have four senior defenders available.

Andy Robertson's red card against Fulham at the weekend and Kostas Tsimikas's ankle issue means Liverpool have no fit left-backs for the trip down south, so Joe Gomez, who filled in many times in that position last season, is the most probable candidate to do so again.

Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate are the other absentees as the back for the visitors, with this fixture likely to come just too soon for the pair of them.

Therefore, Jarell Quansah is the other option for Slot to choose, and he should start with Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk either side of him in Liverpool's back four.

There is more depth in goal, where Alisson's return has seen Caoimhin Kelleher drop out of the side in the league and in Europe, but the Irish stopper may return here with Slot having changed keepers in both previous rounds.

Also returning this week was Diogo Jota, and it was he who netted the late leveller to salvage a point for Liverpool in the weekend's draw with Fulham, and Slot could see this game as an opportunity for the Portuguese international to get more minutes under his belt ahead of some very important league fixtures.

Returning from suspension is Alexis Mac Allister, who has not featured since the 3-3 draw at Newcastle United, where he was cautioned for the fifth time this season, and he also served a European ban against Girona after picking up a booking against Real Madrid.

Wataru Endo and Tyler Morton both started in the win over Brighton in the last round and will feel they deserve another chance, with it likely that Ryan Gravenberch will be rested, having been one of Liverpool most important players so far this season.

One player in desperate need for some time on the pitch is Federico Chiesa, who has barely featured since his summer move from Juventus, and while it is unlikely he will start, he should get on the pitch at some point this week.

After a wasteful display away to Girona, Darwin Nunez was dropped in favour of Cody Gakpo, who scored, in the Fulham draw, and while the Uruguayan may come back into the side here, he must take that opportunity, with Jota now back to provide sterner competition for places.

Talisman Mohamed Salah added another goal involvement to his tally at the weekend, taking him to 29 in 23 games this season, but the Egyptian is expected to drop to the bench with many options available in attack, especially Harvey Elliott, who has found game time harder to come by recently.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Endo, Jones; Elliott, Jota, Nunez

Click here to see how Southampton could line up for this EFL Cup quarter-final.