Wirtz in Liverpool fitness race for Carabao Cup tie as Szoboszlai and Munoz also doubts

Liverpool will make a late fitness call on Florian Wirtz ahead of their Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea, with manager Andoni Iraola cautiously hopeful the German will shake off an ankle problem in time to feature.

“Florian, I’m quite optimistic that he will be available,” Iraola said. “And with Dom and Victor, I’m not so sure. I don’t want to say no, but I think it’s going to be more difficult than Florian, yes.”

Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Munoz are the bigger concerns, both sidelined by thigh and knee problems respectively that have already kept them out of Liverpool’s last two matches. The club will also be without the longer-term absentees Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, and Jeremie Frimpong.

Wirtz is still searching for his first Premier League goal of the season after what appeared to be his opener against Brighton on Sunday was ultimately credited as a Pascal Gross own goal.

Iraola confirmed he will rotate his squad for the cup tie, with Lewis Koumas, Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, and Kostas Tsimikas among those in contention for starts. “There will definitely be changes,” the manager said. “But we want to win the game, we want to be competitive.”

Chelsea will be without Cole Palmer, who is suspended following his red card against Tottenham on Saturday. Despite that flashpoint and Chelsea’s recent disciplinary record, Iraola was clear that Liverpool will not look to exploit the situation or provoke their opponents. “It is not going to be in our team meeting, we will not say anything,” he said.