Arne Slot provides Trent Alexander-Arnold injury update ahead of Tottenham clash

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has provided an injury update on key defender Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of Thursday’s clash with Tottenham.

The Reds host Spurs at Anfield for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, with Ange Postecoglou’s side currently 1-0 up on aggregate.

Liverpool head coach Slot has confirmed Alexander-Arnold will miss the match against Spurs – and says ‘we have to see’ if he will be fit to make his return on Sunday against Plymouth in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Alexander-Arnold limped off in Liverpool’s last Premier League game with a leg injury as the Reds won 2-0 at AFC Bournemouth, with their next top-flight fixture on January 12, which is a Merseyside derby against Everton.

Quizzed about Alexander-Arnold in his pre-match press conference, Slot said: ‘He is going to miss the game tomorrow [against Tottenham].

‘Then we have to see if he is able to play on Sunday [against Plymouth], but what we do know is that he is not available for tomorrow.

‘You saw that he left the pitch [against Bournemouth] with a bit of pain in his leg, that’s why he misses the game tomorrow.

‘But he’s already on the pitch, not with the team, but with the rehab coach. Let’s see how long it will take, but he’s not going to be available tomorrow.’

Meanwhile, Slot has called on the English football authorities to expand matchday squads to 23 players.

‘We are here in a country where we play the most games,’ the Dutchman added.

‘Especially the likes of Aston Villa, Chelsea, Arsenal, us – all the ones playing in Europe and we have the League Cup and the FA Cup.

‘I don’t understand why we don’t go to 23 because in this country, we play the most games everywhere around the world and we only have 20 players we can take to the game.

‘It’s not for the game [itself], because nine substitutes is more than enough, but to keep the dressing room going.’