Last Word on Football brings you the latest team news and predicted lineups ahead of Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur in the third round of the EFL Cup. The Reds were held by Fulham at the weekend and have drawn three of their five games so far this season, while Spurs are yet to score in the Premier League but have already progressed through one round of the competition.
Liverpool have been somewhat inconsistent during the opening weeks of the campaign, winning two of their five matches and drawing the other three. Victories against Ipswich Town and Atletico Madrid were sandwiched between draws with Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Fulham, as attention now turns to the EFL Cup, a competition the Reds have won ten times.
Spurs have struggled for goals this season and have collected just two points from their first four Premier League games. However, they have recorded back-to-back clean sheets in goalless draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton, while comfortably defeating Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the second round of the EFL Cup. Spurs last won the competition in 2008 and have lifted the trophy four times.
Liverpool vs Tottenham: Team News for EFL Cup Tie
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: 8pm BST
Last meeting: Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur (March 15, 2026, Premier League)
Referee: Andrew Madley
Liverpool Team News
Andoni Iraola has confirmed that Tuesday’s cup tie will provide an opportunity for players who have seen limited game time so far this season.
Liverpool will definitely be without Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Federico Chiesa, who continue their respective injury rehabilitation. However, Iraola has confirmed Joe Gomez is available to feature after missing the start of the season.
The Spaniard has also confirmed there will be a change in goal, with Giorgi Mamardashvili set to start in place of Alisson, who has played every minute of the campaign so far.
With Iraola expected to field a rotated side, there could be first starts of the season for Wataru Endo, Trey Nyoni and Lewis Koumas, while Jeremie Frimpong and Cody Gakpo are also likely to return to the lineup.
The match is therefore an opportunity for Liverpool’s fringe players to stake their claim while several regular starters are rested during a busy period of three games in seven days.
Tottenham Team News
Roberto De Zerbi suggested after the Everton game that Tuesday’s cup tie will allow him to use some of his other players as he continues to assess the fitness and physical condition of his squad.
Confirmed absentees include Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Mykhailo Mudryk, with the latter having suffered an ankle injury in training last week.
Read More: Tottenham Suffer Injury Blow as Summer Signing Ruled Out for Weeks
De Zerbi also confirmed Pedro Porro remains unavailable after missing the Everton match, while Sandro Tonali will sit out the cup tie after picking up a knock.
Richarlison is available despite being excluded from Tottenham’s Premier League squad, but De Zerbi has confirmed the Brazilian will not feature against Liverpool.
Destiny Udogie is available again after missing the weekend’s draw, while De Zerbi hinted at further rotation with Lucas Bergvall, Mathys Tel, Marcos Senesi and Ben Davies among those who could come into the side.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup
Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Araujo, Gomez, Tsimikas, Nyoni, Endo, Mac Allister, Koumas, Ngumoha, Gakpo
Tottenham Hotspur Predicted Lineup
Kinsky, Gray, Senesi, Davies, Udogie, Bergvall, Gallagher, Maddison, Kudus, Tel, Solanke
The Last Word: Prediction
Tottenham have a poor record at Anfield, with just eight victories in their history and their most recent success coming back in 2011. However, the prospect of both sides making significant changes makes this a difficult game to predict, with the eventual strength of each lineup likely to prove decisive.
Liverpool could field a weaker side on paper, but the depth available to Iraola could become important if the hosts need to call upon their stronger options from the bench.
It will therefore be important for Tottenham to make their opportunities count and ideally establish a lead before Liverpool can introduce some of their more influential players, as chasing the game at Anfield under the lights would be a difficult task.
A closely contested encounter should follow, but Liverpool’s quality and options off the bench could ultimately see them progress by a single goal.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
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IMAGO / Propaganda Photo