Trent Alexander-Arnold doubtful for Carabao Cup final, Arne Slot confirms | OneFootball

Liverpool exited the UEFA Champions League after losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in their round-of-16 tie. The Reds had more misery to deal with on the night.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has delivered a major injury blow ahead of the Carabao Cup final, admitting he would be surprised if Trent Alexander-Arnold is fit to play on Sunday.

The right-back suffered a concerning ankle injury during the game at Anfield and may not be available for the crucial clash at Wembley.

After the defeat, Slot offered a mixed injury update on his squad. While he reassured fans that Ibrahima Konaté’s early exit was down to fatigue rather than injury, his assessment of Alexander-Arnold was far less optimistic.

“He had to come off, that’s never a good sign,” Slot admitted (via The Independent). “And from what I heard from people that saw the images of how he got injured, that didn’t do very good. So I would be surprised if he is for Sunday.”

The 25-year-old Liverpool-born defender appeared to twist his right ankle awkwardly after getting his foot caught in the turf during a challenge with Vitinha.

His potential absence is a huge setback for Liverpool, especially with back-up right-back Conor Bradley also sidelined. Bradley has been out since sustaining an injury against Aston Villa three weeks ago, leaving Slot short of natural options in the position.

With Alexander-Arnold and Bradley unavailable, Liverpool turned to Jarell Quansah at right-back in the latter stages of the PSG match. Joe Gomez, another potential solution, is also dealing with fitness issues, meaning the Reds may have to field Wataru Endo as a makeshift defender.

Despite the mounting selection headaches, Slot remains hopeful that his squad can regroup and use the final as motivation.

Liverpool fans will anxiously await further assessments on Alexander-Arnold’s injury, hoping for a late boost ahead of their Wembley showdown.