Liverpool were without Dominik Szoboszlai, Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez for the League Cup final.
Though, all three are expected to be back involved with the matchday squad relatively promptly.
Of the confirmed injuries, Jota’s will be Jurgen Klopp’s largest concern. The Portuguese international was stretchered off the Gtech Community Stadium ground after Brentford’s Christian Norgaard landed heavily on the Liverpool attacker’s leg. Jones also seemed in agonising pain during on-field treatment before limping tenderly around the sideline after being replaced by Ryan Gravenberch.
Along with the final result, there was some cause for celebration as Salah, who replaced Jota, showed no ring-rustiness as he provided a goal and assist in a dominant Liverpool display. Since that point, the Merseysiders have looked indomitable, even without a host of senior players available to call upon.
Liverpool were the bookmakers’ favourite for the EFL Cup final, with the top ones here offering 6/11 odds on Jurgen Klopp’s team winning the first trophy of four still possible in its manager’s final season. Fine odds that will have surely rewarded punters who rolled the dice on the Reds’ superb 1-0 win over the Blues in extra time at Wembley.
READ MORE: Good news on Endo injury: Liverpool get positive post-match update on Carabao hero
Even before the Brentford match, Liverpool had a long list of players on the treatment table. Reds vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, midfield generals Thiago Alcantara and Szoboszlai, experienced centre-half Joel Matip, and the young Stefan Bajcetic and Ben Doak were joined on the sidelines by first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, injured in training.
With Szoboszlai, Salah and Nunez left out of the League Cup final, Klopp will likely turn to youth for Wednesday’s Southampton FA Cup match, with the likes of Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah in line to start, with recent first-team squad additions Bobby Clark and Kaide Gordon also likely to feature at some point.
There is no respite for the Merseyside club after the EFL Cup final. As the Premier League season enters its business end, with Liverpool still in the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League, games will continue to come thick and fast. Three days after Wembley, The Reds welcome Championship high-flyers Southampton to Anfield in an FA Cup 5th Round fixture, followed by an away match at Nottingham Forest on March 2.
Jurgen Klopp will hope most of his injured players are available for selection before the Europa League Round of 16 fixture, away at a yet-unknown opponent on March 7, but will likely hold back some of his most vital returnees for the potential title-deciding game against Man City at Anfield three days later.
With Salah back from injury and on form, Kopites will hope for the same of most of the other squad members before the all-important clash against The Citizens on March 10. The hunt for four trophies in the German uber-manager’s final season is still on, but injuries aren’t making the chances of winning them any easier.