Sky Sports: Liverpool missing three key players ahead of Carabao Cup final kickoff

Liverpool will likely miss the presence of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Dominik Szoboszlai in today's Carabao Cup final at 3 PM, as they were not seen during the team's pre-game walk at the stadium.

Jurgen Klopp is anticipated to adjust his starting lineup with just two changes for the match at Wembley after initially being expected to make as many as five changes to the lineup that beat Luton.

With 11 first-team members unavailable, the squad will include several young players for the match against Chelsea, filling out the 20-player roster for the game.

Sky Sports reports Salah, Nunez and Szoboszlai were not on pre-match stadium walk

Liverpool are more than likley to be without Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai which is a massive blow.

Reporting live on Sky Sports News, Vinny O'Connor said: "There was no Mo Salah, no Darwin Nunez and no Dominik Szoboszlai either with the group as they made their way out on the Wembley turf.

"We're just wondering what that says about the potential team Jurgen Klopp will put out."

The Reds trio was missing for the midweek Premier League victory against Luton Town, deploying Cody Gakpo, Harvey Elliott, and Luis Diaz as a provisional front trio, all of whom scored in the 4-1 win at Anfield.

However, the team had no senior forwards available on the bench.

Eighteen-year-old Jayden Danns made his debut for the first team, while 19-year-old Kaide Gordon was an unused substitute, the only other forward option available.

Together, Salah and Nunez have amassed 32 goals and 21 assists in all competitions this season. Additionally, Liverpool are without Diogo Jota, who has contributed 14 goals and four assists but is sidelined with a knee injury and might not return until April.

Against Chelsea, it's likely that either Gordon, Danns, or Lewis Koumas will serve as backup forwards. Should Salah, Nunez, and Szoboszlai be confirmed absent by 2pm as expected, Klopp is poised to retain nine of the 11 players who faced Luton, with Caoimhin Kelleher as goalkeeper.

Defensive adjustments are anticipated, with Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate expected to replace Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah, respectively. The defence will also include captain Virgil van Dijk and Conor Bradley.

The attacking lineup from the Luton game will remain, while Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister are set to form the midfield. The bench is expected to mirror that of the midweek game, featuring James McConnell, Bobby Clark, and 16-year-old Trey Nyoni as midfield reserves.

In addition to the key absences, Klopp is without several first-team choices including goalkeeper Alisson Becker, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, and midfielders Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Ben Doak, and Joel Matip.

Klopp, who plans to leave Liverpool at season's end, aims to secure his second Carabao Cup after a previous victory against Chelsea in 2022. This match could mark his last at Wembley.

What did Jurgen Klopp say ahead of kick-off?

Jurgen Klopp has warned against complacency, telling supporters that beating Chelsea 4-1at the end of January will have no bearing on today's final at Wembley.

He said: "The result we had here [a 4-1 league win over Chelsea at Anfield in January] doesn't help. Of course we have to play the game again and it;s like firing the opponent up slightly. The final is a completely different game, there's no home ground obviously.

"We played them now a couple of times in a final and we know one part is blue and one is red. We know what our people are able to do, but the Chelsea people will be looking forward to it as well. But everybody knows, a final, there is no favourite.

"It starts at nil and for each little advantage you want to have, you have to work incredibly hard. The two Chelsea games in the finals [in 2022], I remember as two of the best draws I've ever been part of in my entire life because it was from a tactical point of view incredible, from an intensity point of view incredible, and then 0-0, 0-0 – strange one."