Tottenham Faces Liverpool in Carabao Cup with Key Injuries

Tottenham face a Carabao Cup trip to Anfield stripped of two key starters and with one high-profile forward still in exile.

Roberto De Zerbi will be without Sandro Tonali and Pedro Porro for Tuesday night’s third-round tie against Liverpool, a game Spurs badly need to ignite a stuttering early-season campaign. Richarlison, meanwhile, remains frozen out despite being eligible to play.

Double blow for De Zerbi

Tottenham arrive on Merseyside on the back of successive 0-0 draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton, results that have drained momentum and sharpened the need for a statement performance. They have not won at Anfield for 15 years. The timing of fresh injuries could hardly be worse.

Tonali has picked up a minor knock in the wake of the goalless draw with Everton and will not be risked. Porro is still battling the muscular problem that ruled him out at the weekend and has again been sidelined.

There is at least one positive: Destiny Udogie is back. The left-back was left out against Everton as a precaution but De Zerbi confirmed he is available for the cup tie.

Richarlison left at home

If the injury list is frustrating, the Richarlison situation is simply awkward.

The Brazilian made clear his desire to leave Spurs in the summer and paid the price with omission from the club’s Premier League squad. A late-window move never materialised, leaving him in limbo – contracted, fit, but unwanted.

Despite being free to feature in the Carabao Cup, De Zerbi has decided he will not travel to Anfield.

“Richarlison, you already know everything, nothing changed for the Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same,” the Spurs head coach said on Monday, underlining that the stalemate between club and player continues.

Long-term absentee Dejan Kulusevski is also still unavailable and will not be involved.

Rotation, kids and tired legs

De Zerbi is expected to shuffle his pack against Liverpool, but how far he goes with that rotation remains the big call. Spurs need a result, yet several first-team regulars are short of full sharpness after a disrupted pre-season.

The Italian admitted Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher and Mohammed Kudus are all still building up to peak condition, complicating his selection for a high-intensity cup tie at one of the most demanding venues in the country.

That opens the door, potentially, for the club’s academy. Winger Luca Williams-Barnett is in contention for minutes, even if only off the bench.

“I don't know, Luca. We have to see because many players need to play,” De Zerbi said. “Maybe not 90 minutes, 90 minutes, but 30 minutes a real game is important.”

The message is clear: this is a night for managing loads as much as chasing glory.

Predicted Tottenham XI vs Liverpool

Dubravka; Gray, Tosin, Senesi, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Gallagher; Kudus, Solanke, Marmoush.

Injured: Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski, Tonali, Porro, Mudryk
Unavailable: Richarlison

Kick-off is at 8pm BST on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at Anfield. The tie will be shown live on Sky Sports and ITV.

Tottenham arrive wounded, short of rhythm and without several big names. They also arrive with a chance to change the tone of their season in one night at one of the hardest places to do it.