2019-2020 League Cup: Liverpool vs. Arsenal

(The Guardian) Preamble
Evening. It’s cards-on-the-table time – it’s hard to predict what might happen at Anfield this evening. That’s not a bad thing, because so much of modern football is too easy to predict. We can expect two vastly changed teams, with Liverpool perhaps more likely to field the most inexperienced XI, given their commitments in the Premier League and Europe, not to mention the Club World Cup in December. As for Unai Emery, the pressure is on at Arsenal, and even though he will not want to field a full-strength team, he might be minded to name a reasonably strong side to get a win on the board and keep open the prospect of some silverware down the line. With the beef between Granit Xhaka and Arsenal fans dominating headlines in the buildup to this game, Emery is acutely aware that Arsenal’s season is already shaping up to be a turbulent one.

Emery needs a response from his Arsenal team after the draw at home against Crystal Palace, even if the XI players who provide it are not regulars. As for Jürgen Klopp, as much as this competition is probably the lowest on his list of priorities this season, it still offers him the chance to give fringe Liverpool players a run out and give him an idea who might be first in line to come in when he has to rotate over the busy festive period. One person we should see this evening, is Mesut Özil, who is expected to captain Arsenal while Xhaka continues to let off steam. While we wait for team news, see if you can spot him in David Squires’s latest bit of brilliant doodling.

(The Guardian) So, Jürgen Klopp makes 11 changes from the win over Spurs on Sunday, including four teenagers with 18-year-old Neco Williams making his first-team debut. Among the other young whelps, Harvey Elliott, at 16 years and 209 days, will become the youngest player to appear for the club at Anfield, while Rhian Brewster and Sepp Van Den Berg make their Anfield debuts too. Joe Gomez, James Milner and midfielders Adam Lallana, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain add a bit of experience.

For Arsenal, Mesut Özil makes only his third appearance of the season - and his first since 24 September. He’s not been seen in a matchday squad since his outing in the last round against Nottingham Forest but is one of 11 changes. Unai Emery has selected six players – excluding Özil – who could be considered first-team regulars, including Lucas Torreira, Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. And it’s Hector Bellerin, not Özil (as had been rumoured), who captains the side. Well, someone’s got to.

(The Guardian) You may or may not know, but it’s “Mizzy Night” (Mischief Night) in Liverpool this evening, which is generally a big excuse for wild kids to cause chaos with eggs, flour, or whatever else they can get their hands on. There’ll be a few fans with stained coats in Anfield tonight. It’s like Halloween, without the innocent fun – all trick and no treat. I believe Mischief Night is also “celebrated” in other parts of the north of England under different names and in the United States. If you do get egged or have a close escape tonight, be sure to let me know. I won’t laugh. I promise.

...no wonder Ste_Macca's at Anfield tonight, hehehe....

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“It’s Mizzy Night in Liverpool? Granit Xhaka must be kicking himself,” honks Peter Oh.

(The Guardian) Unai Emery has just spoken on Sky. He didn’t say much of note because he never really does. He swerved a question about Granit Xhaka and just said his team is focused on this game because the League is a good competition. Jürgen Klopp also spoke and confirmed that he took the decision long ago that he would make wholesale changes for the League Cup to rest his regulars. “We have to show them our faith,” he said. He also said that 18-year-old Neco Williams has been handed his debut because in the past four weeks he has really impressed him.

(The Guardian) Is that You’ll Never Walk Alone I can hear? I think it is, which means that the teams are out on the Anfield turf on a chilly evening on Merseyside. Meanwhile, Ian Copestake isn’t at the match tonight – and he should be. Blame the trains! “There may be some gaps at Anfield (in the crowd, I mean) as most trains to Liverpool (including the one I was meant to be on) were cancelled. Like the two teams I should have taken a coach!”

Ah well, stick with me Ian. I’ll do my best. or go the pub. Yeah, go the pub.