Newcastle United look to win their first major trophy since 1955 on Sunday afternoon, but must get past serial winners and runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool at Wembley
Arne Slot looks for his first trophy as Liverpool manager but must do so without Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Or his replacement. Or his third choice at right back.
The Kop boss is without the England international after he hobbled off against PSG in midweek. The club hope he will be able to play against before the Premier League champions-elect end their campaign – otherwise, he may well have played his final game for the Reds, with a summer switch to Real Madrid seeming increasingly likely.
At Wembley, with he, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez all absent, Slot has a choice to make. Curtis Jones has been mooted in some quarters as an option, but Jarrell Quansah gets the nod, with slot having talked up his attributes on Friday.
After their Champions League disappointment on Tuesday, Diogo Jota KEEPS his place in the starting lineup in something of a surprise. He endured a poor night vs PSG.
Luis Diaz starts from the left, with Mo Salah in his customary right-sided spot, and Dominik Szoboszlai stays as the most advanced midfielder, alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.
Intrugingly, Caiomhin Kelleher starts in goal at Alisson’s expense. The Irishman has been Slot’s pick in the domestic cups when available this term.
Magpies skipper Bruno Guimaraes admits he’ll have no qualms about crying if he can fulfil the promise he made to Toon fans on the day he signed, and lift the trophy.
And he says: “Even in my wildest dreams, I couldn’t think about it, in my first season as captain to lift a trophy for this club for the first time in a long, long time. Wow. It would be massive.”
He scored the winner at West Ham on Monday night and Eddie Howe picks an unchanged starting lineup, with Anthony Gordon still suspended and both Sven Botman and Lewis Hall sidelined due to injury.
Guimaraes continues in a midfield three alongside Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, with the only real question mark having been over Harvey Barnes. Standing in for Gordon recently, he keeps his place ahead of Joe Willock.
Liverpool Starting Lineup: Kelleher; Quansah, Konate, Van Djik, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Diaz.
Subs: Alisson, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell
Newcastle Starting Lineup: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes.
Subs: Dubravka, Krafth,Targett, Longstaff, Miley, Willock, Wilson, Osula, Neave.
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