10 key things to know ahead of Norwich vs. Liverpool

Liverpool are in League Cup third round action on Tuesday night, making the trip to Premier League strugglers Norwich.

The Reds saw off a stubborn Crystal Palace side 3-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, going top of the table, momentarily at least.

It’s now time to focus on the League Cup, however, as Jurgen Klopp‘s side head to Carrow Road for a midweek assignment.

Here’s our match preview with 10 key things you need to know ahead of the game…

 

1. Norwich are in bad form!

NORWICH, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 14, 2021: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Norwich cruised to the Championship title last season and, having struggled in their last Premier League campaign, many felt they were better equipped this time around.

It hasn’t panned out that way so far, however, with the Canaries still without a point five matches into the season.

Defeats to the likes of Liverpool and Man City were understandable, but Saturday’s 3-1 loss at home to fellow newly-promoted side Watford was a tough one to take.

Daniel Farke has a huge job on his hands turning his team’s fortunes around – frankly, the League Cup is the least of their worries.

 

2. Kabak to face Reds?

Credit: @ffsporttr (Instagram)

Ozan Kabak was an underrated performer for the Reds last season, joining on loan from Schalke and helping them seal an unlikely top-four finish.

Klopp opted to sign Ibrahima Konate instead of purchasing the Turk permanently, though, so he went in search for a new club.

Kabak ended up joining Norwich late in the transfer window and he made his debut against Watford at the weekend.

It could be that Farke puts the 21-year-old up against his former Liverpool teammates on Tuesday night, as he looks to show Klopp that he was wrong not to retain his services.

 

3. Changes expected for Reds

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, August 9, 2021: Liverpool's Takumi Minamino during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Club Atlético Osasuna at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The matches continue to come thick and fast for Liverpool, but this is an opportunity for Klopp to give key figures the night off.

The League Cup is at the bottom of the Reds’ priorities this season, so expect to see the likes of Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Mohamed Salah rested, to name just a few.

Caoimhin Kelleher will be in goal, while Pepijn Lijnders confirmed Curtis Jones will start – to make his 50th appearance for the club.

Conor Bradley could be in line to start at right-back, and 16-year-old Kaide Gordon could also get his first senior start. The young duo were left out of Sunday’s under-23s match in preparation for Tuesday.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi will likely be in attack, as they look to show that not signing an extra attacker in the summer wasn’t such a bad decision after all.

 

4. Injuries continue to arrive

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 18, 2021: Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara limps off with an injury during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Can Liverpool not just have a game when a player doesn’t go off injured? It feels like it’s happened in every match for about a year!

Thiago is the Reds’ latest casualty, with the Spaniard limping off with a calf issue in the win over Palace and being ruled out of this game and Saturday’s trip to Brentford.

The 30-year-old joins Harvey Elliott and Roberto Firmino on the sidelines, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is also unavailable after failing to recover from illness.

 

5. “Wow, we have a new player!”

Kaide Gordon has a chance of making his Liverpool debut against the Canaries, following a promising pre-season at Anfield.

The 16-year-old looks a player of frightening potential and Pep Lijnders waxed lyrical over him in Monday’s press conference:

“He has fire in each moment he touches the ball. I saw him in pre-season and called Jurgen and said: ‘Wow, we have a new player!”

Could Gordon break Ben Woodburn‘s record (17 years and 45 days) as the youngest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history on Tuesday?

 

6. Domestic cup woes

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 18, 2021: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

It’s fair to say that Klopp isn’t too fond of the domestic cups in England, often paying the vast majority of his attention to the Premier League and Champions League.

Liverpool predominantly field much-weakened starting lineups and it has led to very little success in the competitions.

In fact, the Merseysiders have only got past the fourth round of the League Cup once in the past four seasons.

Liverpool did at least reach the final under Klopp in 2016, losing to City on penalties, but they have never even got to the quarters of the FA Cup with the German in charge.

 

7. Huge success in the past

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard celebrates with the Carling Cup Trophy

While the Reds’ success in the League Cup has taken a big backstep in the last decade or so, they have enjoyed many great days in the competition.

In fact, they and City have won the competition a record eight times overall.

Liverpool won it four times in a row between 1981 and 1984, three of which were during the glory days under Bob Paisley.

They then lifted the trophy in 1995, following a Steve McManaman-inspired win over Bolton, before seeing off Birmingham in the 2001 final, on their way to a cup treble under Gerard Houllier.

Man United were beaten two years later, with Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen finding the net, and Liverpool triumphed over Cardiff on penalties in 2012, no thanks to a horrendous spot-kick from Charlie Adam.

 

8. Did You Know?

NORWICH, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 14, 2021: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

There is a running joke that Norwich fans must be sick of the sight of Luis Suarez, but they may feel that way towards Liverpool in general.

The Canaries haven’t actually tasted victory against the Reds since way back in April 1994, in what was just the second season of the Premier League.

Incidentally, that was the final game in front of the standing Kop, as Jeremy Goss’ strike killed the mood and earned Norwich a 1-0 win.

That means it’s 15 games and counting undefeated in the fixture for Liverpool, with victory coming their way in nine of the last 10 meetings.

 

9. A new referee to ‘enjoy’

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, September 15, 2021: Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp during the UEFA Champions League Group B Matchday 1 game between Liverpool FC and AC Milan at Anfield. (Pic by Paul Currie/Propaganda)

It has been confirmed that Darren England will take charge of the match and will also officiate a Liverpool game for the first time.

The 36-year-old has refereed 14 Premier League games to date, including Brentford‘s 2-0 win at Wolves on Saturday, as well as 13 in the League Cup.

Will he feel the wrath of Klopp on Tuesday?

 

10. TV Info

NORWICH, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 14, 2021: A general view before the FA Premier League match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Tuesday’s match is being shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm (BST), with kickoff at 7.45pm.

There is also the option of joining us on our matchday live blog, with Henry Jackson in charge of keeping you entertained from 7.15pm.

Come on you Reds!