Liverpool are set to compete for their first potential silverware of the 2023/24 season when they battle Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday (February 25). However, Jurgen Klopp has suffered a blow in the form of injuries sustained by key players, including Diogo Jota.
The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe has confirmed that the Reds are set to miss both Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones for the Carabao Cup final after they sustained injuries in their recent win over Brentford in the Premier League. Both players were forced off in the first half after sustaining knocks, with the Portuguese forward seemingly coming off worse after suffering a knee injury.
Bascombe adds that Liverpool are “awaiting further tests” before being able to determine just how long the two will be out of action for. The journalist’s report also cites claims from Portuguese media that Jota could end up missing six to eight weeks of action with his latest injury, meaning he can possibly make a return for the final stretch of the campaign. It’s further claimed that the diagnosis of the Portugal international, who was hailed as a “brilliant player” recently, is more positive than initially imagined as he is now likely to be ready to play in the 2024 European Championship too.
The addition of Jones and Jota ends up only adding to the list of absentees for Liverpool, who are still competing on all fronts for a possible quadruple in Jurgen Klopp’s final season at the club. The Reds are already missing players like Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Stefan Bajcetic, who are expected to be out for the rest of the season due to bad injuries.
To make things worse, the Reds also saw Alisson miss the last match after sustaining a hamstring injury in training and Darwin Nunez also had to be substituted against Brentford after citing muscle pain. They are, although, hopeful of the return of midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai in time for the Carabao Cup final as Klopp’s side aims to replicate their heroics from the 2021/22 season and defeat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final again.
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