Arne Slot Confirms Squad Rotation for Carabao Cup Clash with Southampton
Arne Slot has confirmed that Liverpool will rotate their squad for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round fixture against Southampton at Anfield.
Following the Reds’ 2-0 Merseyside derby win over Everton, the head coach stated that some key players will be rested due to the team’s demanding recent schedule.
In an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.com on Monday at the AXA Training Centre, Slot explained the rationale behind the upcoming changes.
“Yes, we’ll be making changes, just like we did in the League Cup last season,” Slot said. “The players can handle a busy schedule, but they need rest now and then—especially as many of them also played two matches for their national teams recently.”
He added that while players are generally fit and ready, short recovery periods—like two days off—are still essential. “We’ll have a completely different starting XI,” Slot confirmed.
Reflecting on the added time in the Everton match, Slot commented on the team’s energy and drive to keep pushing for goals, even in the final moments. “People talked about the extra time, but I actually wish we had a few more seconds—we were in a great position to score again. It shows our mentality,” he said.
Slot also addressed whether the match could provide opportunities for less frequently used players such as Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni, and Giorgi Mamardashvili. “Yes, definitely,” he responded. “Players like Wataru Endo and others need game time, and this is the perfect occasion. If we didn’t have this match, we might have arranged a friendly just to keep them match-fit.”
He noted that squad rotation over the last three games was carefully planned to maintain energy, but some players haven’t featured much—making this fixture ideal for them.
As for Liverpool’s ambitions in the Carabao Cup, Slot made it clear the team is aiming high: “We reached the final last season using similar line-ups, and we treat every competition seriously. We want to win every trophy we’re in,” he said.
He emphasized the depth and quality of the squad, but also highlighted the need to balance short-term goals with long-term planning: “If we want to compete across all competitions, some players need a week off from midweek games now and then. That’s part of managing a team across a long season.”
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