Why is Alisson Becker missing from the starting XI against Spurs?

Liverpool face Tottenham in a crucial EFL Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield tonight.

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And despite losing 1-0 in the first leg and needing a win to progress, Liverpool will be entering the game without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

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He isn't on the bench either with Caoimhin Kelleher starting and Vitezslav Jaros in reserve.

Alisson, 32, played 90 minutes in the weekend victory against Bournemouth and the squad enjoyed two full days off ahead of the Thursday night encounter.

Having been given plenty of rest, it was expected that Slot would field Alisson from the outset as he has previously been insistent that if the Brazilian is fit then he plays.

“First of all, Alisson needs to become fit and I’ve always been quite clear and that’s always been the position of Alisson that he is, and will be, our first goalkeeper if he is fit," Slot said in November.

“But therefore he first needs to be it, but Caoimhin [Kelleher] has done outstanding last season and this season again as well. But the moment Alisson will be fit he will be our first goalkeeper.”

Alisson rested

The Liverpool Echo is reporting that Alisson is NOT injured and it appears that Alisson has simply been rested.

"Alisson not involved tonight," wrote Echo journalist Ian Doyle on X. WNo injury or fitness concerns, more like the regular rotation for this competition. Worth remembering the Brazilian has only ever played in two League Cup ties for #LFC - it won't be three this evening."

The goalkeeper missed around two months of action back in autumn having suffered a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace in October.

He returned to the line-up against Girona in the Champions League in December but his form has been indifferent since then.

However it is curious that Slot has chosen tonight to rest Alisson with Plymouth lying in wait in the FA Cup. Presumably, he won't play there either.

Therefore he will have rested from last weekend until Wednesday 12 February when the Reds play in the Merseyside Derby against Everton at Goodison Park.

It's almost a mid-season break for the veteran shot-stopper.

Alisson not a regular in EFL Cup

Alisson played in the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in January - won by Spurs in controversial circumstances.

His only other appearance in the competition came in the semi-final first leg back in 2022 against Arsenal which finished a 0-0 draw.

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Liverpool won the second leg 2-0 before beating Chelsea on penalties in the final when Kelleher was a star.

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