Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to miss this weekend’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United through injury, but could return before the end of the season.
Alexander-Arnold limped off in the second half of Liverpool’s Champions League round-of-16 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, with the Premier League leaders ultimately exiting the competition on penalties.
He was replaced by Jarell Quansah, who is now likely to start at Wembley, having been called up to Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad on Friday.
“Trent is not available,” head coach Arne Slot confirmed in a news conference on Friday.
“He will not be there at the final. He’s still to be assessed for how long it’s going to take but we do expect him back before the end of the season.”
Centre-back Ibrahima Konaté is also set to be assessed after being substituted in extra-time against PSG.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s final, Slot said: “We’re really looking forward to playing in a final again, because you cannot take a final for granted, especially not in this country with so many good teams involved in every cup competition.
“We’re looking forward to being part of it and if you are part of it of course you want to try to win it, but of course that’s what Newcastle want as well.”
Slot also said he wants captain Virgil van Dijk to stay at Anfield next season after the defender admitted he has “no idea” about his future at the club.
Van Dijk, alongside teammates Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, is out of contract at the end of the campaign and is now free to speak to clubs overseas about penning a pre-contract agreement for next season.
After Liverpool’s Champions League exit on Tuesday night, the 33-year-old revealed that nothing has been decided yet about his future.
“I don’t even know myself,” Van Dijk said. “Everyone knows there are some conversations behind the scenes but that is about it.
“At the moment, I don’t even know what will happen next year. If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face.”
And Slot has now weighed in on the matter, insisting that the uncertainty over Van Dijk’s future does not affect his planning for next season.
“The only thing I know is that I want Virgil to be here next season and all the rest is talks about contracts and that’s not what I do over here,” he said. “It doesn’t [affect planning], not for me.”
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