Liverpool will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold through injury as Arne Slot's side looks to turn around its 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to Tottenham in the reverse fixture at Anfield. But he won't be the only one who misses out.

With only Alexander-Arnold sidelined at the moment, Slot has more players available than he is permitted to name in his matchday squad. At the weekend, both Federico Chiesa and Joe Gomez missed out; at least one star will miss out here.

Given Conor Bradley will move into the starting XI, Gomez is likely to replace him on the bench. And that could mean Chiesa missing out completely once again, before he potentially gets another start against Plymouth on Sunday.

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Tyler Morton, who ended up staying at Liverpool despite interest from elsewhere in January, is also likely to miss out on the matchday squad. He could play against Plymouth but might not get many more chances in the team after that. James McConnell — another who won't be involved against Spurs — was preferred to Morton in the Champions League game with PSV.

"That is one of the only things I don't understand here in England," Slot said during his press conference today. "Everywhere around the world, and in Europe as well when we play Champions League, we can take 23 players to the game.

"We are here in a country where we play the most games — especially the likes of Aston Villa, us, Arsenal, Chelsea, all the ones that are playing in Europe — and we have the League Cup over here and we have the FA Cup. So, we play so, so many games, so if you are able to play all these games you need a big squad.

"That seems to fair to me and then one of the things that is so important for a manager. To pick the first XI is difficult, to tell someone that he is not even in the squad makes it even harder. So, I don't understand why we don't go to 23 in this country because this country plays the most games everywhere around the world and we only have 20 players that we can take to the games.

"It's not for that game, because nine substitutes are more than enough, but to keep the dressing room going. You need more than 20 players in this country because we play so many games. Do you then understand what I mean?

"It's not for this one game, it's for a team like us or Arsenal or ones that play in Europe you need more than 20 players, so why can't we bring 23 players to the game instead of 20? But since it is the rule over here that is probably going to be the most difficult decision I have to make — not the first XI, but to leave someone out that worked so hard on a daily basis, that wants to be involved in the game as well. Not even taking him to the game, that's the hardest decision for me to make."

Liverpool.com says: Slot's suggestion that clubs should be allowed even more subs is unlikely to go down well. Jurgen Klopp was 'blamed' for bringing in the five substitutes rule, even though it makes complete sense. Slot isn't likely to get much sympathy with that view, but he also isn't likely to have this issue for long. Having a completely fit roster doesn't happen many times in a season.