Liverpool's Alexander-Arnold to miss League Cup final in injury blow

Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the League Cup final against Newcastle with an ankle injury that leaves the defender facing an extended spell on the sidelines.

Alexander-Arnold was injured in the second half of Liverpool's Champions League last 16 penalty shoot-out defeat against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old's absence is a huge blow to Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who is without a recognised right-back for Sunday's showdown with Newcastle at Wembley.

Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez, the usual candidates to replace Alexander-Arnold, are both still recovering from injuries.

"Trent is not available. He will not be there at the final," Slot told reporters on Friday.

"He is still to be assessed for how long it will take but we do expect him back before the end of the season."

Alexander-Arnold was left out of the England squad named by Thomas Tuchel on Friday ahead of their World Cup qualifiers later in March.

Slot is confident Jarell Quansah can prove an able deputy for Alexander-Arnold at Wembley after being impressed by his reaction to being dropped earlier this season.

Quansah lost his place as Liverpool's starting centre-back at halftime of the season opener at Ipswich because Slot said he "lost too many duels".

The 22-year-old could have been affected by that snub but he bounced back so strongly that he has earned a place in Tuchel's England squad.

"If being substituted at halftime is a setback then almost every player has more than a few setbacks during his career," Slot said.

"In the end that probably went to a situation where he got criticised more than was normal for a player who was taken off at halftime.

"Mentality-wise it might have been a big moment for him because now he has experienced that people were not only positive about him like last season.

"He also knows now he can fight his way back if people are all of a sudden not positive any more."

'PERFECT GAME'

League Cup holders Liverpool are aiming to win the first trophy of Slot's reign when they face Newcastle this weekend.

The Reds are also on course for a record-equalling 20th English title after opening up a 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

It will be Slot's first visit to Wembley, making an already special occasion even more significant for the former Feyenoord boss.

"No, I haven't been there before. It's not only for English people an iconic stadium, it is also for Dutch people," Slot said.

"I think my first memory I have of that stadium is when Ronald Koeman scored for Barcelona, their winner in the Champions League final. I am really happy that after Sunday Wembley is also on my list of stadiums that I have managed at."

After their painful Champions League loss to PSG, Slot hopes the chance of winning silverware at Wembley will be the perfect motivation for his wounded team.

"It's a great occasion to be in and especially after losing against Paris Saint-Germain we are really looking forward to playing this final now," he said.

"It's maybe the perfect game but I think our nine games in the league are going to be finals as well so if we had to play for the league on Sunday I think we would have been up for it also.

"But yeah, it's always nice to play for a trophy, it's always nice to win something."