EFL Cup lineups as Isak starts

Liverpool starting lineup vs Southampton

Premier League-record £125 million signing Alexander Isak starts for Liverpool, as does midfielder Curtis Jones, who returned from the bench in the 2-1 home win over Everton on Saturday following an unspecified injury.

£116m midfielder Florian Wirtz is not involved but wing sensation Rio Ngumoha starts and could become the youngest Liverpool player ever to score in the League Cup if he is involved against Southampton.

Ngumoha would achieve the feat 20 days earlier than record-holder Ben Woodburn, who netted at 17 years and 45 days of age.

Arne Slot’s side have won each of their first six matches in all competitions and the Dutchman oversaw three victories against the Saints during his first season in charge, including an away victory in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

Defenders Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai and last season’s Premier League top scorer, Mohamed Salah, are among the players rested ahead of Liverpool’s trip to fifth-placed Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Goals by Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike secured a 2-1 home league win over Everton on Saturday.

Liverpool starting XI: Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Gomez, Leoni, Robertson, Nyoni, Endo, Jones, Chiesa, Isak, Ngumoha

Liverpool substitutes: Woodman, Kerkez, Bradley, Ekitike, Williams, Gordon, Morrison, Pilling, Danns

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Southampton starting lineup vs Liverpool

Southampton’s Flynn Downes, who returned from illness on the bench against Hull but was not used, starts against Liverpool.

Striker Cameron Archer had a hamstring issue but came off the bench and is also in the starting line-up but left-back Welington has an ankle injury.

“Welly is still working his way back,” said Still (via Southampton’s website), who changed almost his entire line-ups in the previous rounds of the EFL Cup.

“We’ve got a massive squad. Some players need to play, some players need an opportunity, so that’s what’s going to happen.

“But we’re never going to completely disregard it and put a load of Under-21s. We’ve got a lot of good players and some… deserve this opportunity, but also some players who have done really well considering the lesser results of the last few weeks, so it’s about getting the right mix between those players that need to play and the ones that deserve to play as well.

“It will present a few opportunities for other players, so just go for it – don’t overthink it, don’t overanalyse it, stand up and be counted.