Liverpool wonderkid set for UNEXPECTED Carabao Cup final start

Last season Liverpool went into the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea amid a frightening injury crisis.

Manager Jurgen Klopp had no choice but to turn to several first-team novices for the Wembley showdown.

Liverpool Transfer News: Arne Slot gives backing as Reds line-up club record deal

Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, James McConnell, Bobby Clark and Jayden Danns were among the Liverpool academy stars who got on the pitch at Wembley.

READ MORE: Fabrizio Romano confirms massive update as star set to RETURN

Trey Nyoni and Lewis Koumas meanwhile were among the unused substitutes. Top performers like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were among those sidelined with injury.

But that didn’t hold back the Reds with Virgil van Dijk’s extra-time winner granting Klopp’s side the victory.

History is threatening to repeat itself this season with Liverpool facing a defensive injury crisis ahead of the final on Sunday against Newcastle. Trent Alexander-Arnold is out yet again while Ibrahima Konate is a doubt.

Both were injured during the midweek Champions League elimination to Paris Saint-Germain at Wembley. And while French centre-back Konate could end up coming back into contention, Trent will need to be replaced.

Trent needs to be replaced, admits Slot

“Trent is indeed not available. He will not be there at the final,” head coach Arne Slot told a pre-match press conference.

“But he’s still to be assessed for how long it’s going to take. We do expect him back before the end of the season.”

This time however Bradley won’t be able to start in his absence as the Northern Irishman has a hamstring injury of his own to contend with.

And while Arne Slot has several options at his disposal for Wembley, it looks like another Anfield wonderkid is set for an unexpected start.

Quansah, 22, has been on the fringes this season and has a preferred position of centre-back. However, given the Reds’ pressing needs ahead of Sunday, it looks like the recent England call-up will get the nod with fellow defender Joe Gomez ALSO out injured.

Is Quansah the most dependable option?

“Centre-back Jarell Quansah saw out the remainder of Tuesday’s tie in Alexander-Arnold’s place,” writes James Pearce in the Athletic.

“The 22-year-old also started December’s Premier League draw with Newcastle at right-back and has featured in the position from the bench in recent weeks in Gomez and Bradley’s absence.”

READ MORE: Michael Edwards lining up DREAM double deal for Liverpool

Quansah looks the most dependable option among several contenders including Wataru Endo and, perhaps surprisingly, Curtis Jones.

EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool line up club record bid for Julian Alvarez