Injury Woes Mount for Liverpool: 10 Key Players Unavailable for Carabao Cup Clash with Fulham

Liverpool is set to face a significant challenge in their Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham, with a staggering 10 players ruled out for the crucial opener on Wednesday night.

 The setback includes the absence of England regular Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is sidelined for "a few weeks" due to a knee injury sustained during the build-up to the first leg showdown at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp and his team are gearing up for a 180-minute battle against Fulham, aiming to secure the right to face either Middlesbrough or Chelsea in the Wembley finale. However, Liverpool's task has been made more daunting as Mohamed Salah, bound for AFCON duty with Egypt, will also be unavailable for the pivotal clash.

While Liverpool's captain, Virgil van Dijk, is expected to recover from illness in time for the Fulham game, Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai won't be able to participate due to a hamstring injury. The absence of key players, including Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Thiago Alcantara, and young talent Stefan Bajcetic, due to various injuries further compounds the selection challenges for Klopp.

Adding to the list of unavailable players is Japan midfielder Wataru Endo, who is set to join the Asian Cup, mirroring the absence of players participating in the Africa Cup of Nations. The cumulative impact of these absences raises questions about Liverpool's depth and resilience as they navigate through a critical phase of the season.

While the Reds will undoubtedly miss the influence of their sidelined stars, the Carabao Cup semi-final presents an opportunity for other squad members to step up and make a meaningful contribution. As the drama unfolds over the two legs against Fulham, Liverpool fans are left hoping that the remaining players, including a potentially recovered Virgil van Dijk, can rise to the occasion and keep the club's cup ambitions alive.