“We are concentrating only on the next game, and for us it is Notts County,” he told reporters during his Monday press conference.
Liverpool have no fresh injury concerns for their League Cup second-round tie against League One Notts County at Anfield. The match will come too soon for defender Martin Skrtel, however, with the defender still struggling with a knee injury. Uruguayan centre-back Sebastian Coates is a long-term casualty – expected to be out for most of the season - with frontman Luis Suarez still serving his suspension. Fabio Borini, who spent much of last season out injured with a broken foot, could make the team with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers expected to make changes.
Notts County manager Chris Kiwomya will check on a number of players ahead of the League Cup clash. Captain Dean Leacock is a doubt, although Kiwomya will be keen to have his most-experienced defender play against the Reds. Fellow defender Alan Sheehan, who has been suffering with a hamstring strain, and forwards Enoch Showunmi and Danny Haynes missed the home league defeat to Stevenage on Saturday but will be checked ahead of the visit to Anfield
He also responded to a question about squad rotation by saying, “It will be an opportunity for some players who maybe haven’t featured to get a game, but the core of our team will very much be there.”
In theory, Liverpool shouldn’t have too much against the League One club, but it is not as simple as just turning up on the day and playing a game of football. For the Notts County players, it is ultimately the biggest game most of them are likely to ever play in, which normally results in the lower league sides raising their game, which can make it harder for the Premier League side.
A trip to Anfield will get any footballer’s blood pumping. Notts County will probably start like a team possessed. They will chase every ball, dive into every tackle and kick everything that moves.
They will be burning with the desire to cause one of the biggest upsets in Football history. Liverpool cannot allow that. The players need to be able to match Notts County in the ‘desire to win’ department if they do that, then the extra quality should see the Reds through this game.
Liverpool are expected to make wholesale changes for tonight’s game, and with Manchester United only a matter of days away, who can blame Brendon Rodgers, for doing exactly that? On the flip side, it will also be a chance for many of Liverpool’s youngsters and fringe players to show the manager, what they are capable of doing.
On the other side of the ball, Notts County captain Dean Leacock referred to the contest as a “dream draw,” adding, “It is the biggest draw we could have got. It is brilliant for the players, the fans and the club as a whole.”
