Liverpool injuries create golden week for desperate pair

Further Liverpool injuries force Jurgen Klopp to consider two players ahead of the Carabao Cup final this weekend. The Reds won't have their first-choice team.

Liverpool beat Brentford 4-1 on Saturday but it came at a cost. Both Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota went off with injuries, while Darwin Nunez was removed at half-time as a precaution.

Thankfully, it sounds as though Nunez will be okay. Mohamed Salah's return provides the best possible replacement for Jota, too. It's midfield where there's now a serious issue.

Dominik Szoboszlai is also injured at the moment, after all, and a serious doubt for the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. It leaves Liverpool very short in the middle if neither he nor Jones are able to face Chelsea.

Wataru Endo will almost certainly play as the holding midfielder at Wembley, while Alexis Mac Allister is there to play one of the more advanced midfield roles. And that leaves two players to fill the other if needed.

Ryan Gravenberch came on for Jones against Brentford, while Harvey Elliott entered the fray in the second half. One of these two is now in line to start the final.

Fortunately, Jurgen Klopp doesn't need to make a blind choice here. Liverpool play Luton Town on Wednesday and while that game is absolutely a disadvantage for the Reds, this is the one way it can be used positively.

Klopp can start one of Gravenberch or Elliott there and look at them properly ahead of the final. He could even start both, if he wants to really create competition for a place.

But it now feels absolutely vital that Klopp does run the rule over the pair ahead of Wembley. It's now the big decision for the final, with every other position virtually set in stone.

There really isn't a right answer, either. Gravenberch adds more physicality in the middle, but Elliott adds more creativity. Above all, though, Klopp will want the player who's most 'ready' to start a final.

Both will be desperate to get the nod as they attempt to claim more starts for Liverpool. Gravenberch has just eight in the Premier League this season, Elliott just three.

Here is a chance to stake that claim and start a cup final.